OK. This was pure luck. We happened to be able to go to Cobh while the regatta was on. It’s a great event, and there are plenty of activities for the children to enjoy.
Cobh has made some huge efforts to promote tourism and cleanliness over the past few years. Often there will be a special day on when a cruiser docks near the old Railway Station, now the site of the Cobh Heritage Centre. The town has teams of volunteers. There is the Tidy Towns, there is a group who volunteer as tourist helpers/guides for when a liner is in, there is a suicide prevention group, there is a defibrillator group. Great to see such community activity!
If you want to know when to expect a cruise ship, follow this link provided by the Port of Cork.
Back to the Regatta. They had lovely weather, and the boats put on an excellent display of sail. Activities for kids included stands selling trinkets, crab fishing, a carousel, bouncy castle and, of course, the playground looking over the harbour.
Cobh Heritage Centre is a nice visit, and you can finish it off with a bit of shopping or a coffee with a bite to eat. Click here to go to their website.
Alternatively you can go to the Titanic Experience (Click Here), and you can end by going downstairs for a meal looking over the harbour.
St. Colman’s Cathedral is worth a visit. There is some magnificent stone work, and it’s full of art. Pop in for some quiet time, and soak up the scale of the place. Photography there is difficult as it is quite dark inside. Be patient, and bring a tripod!
John Hurley 