Cork

What To Do in Cobh: Cork's Port Town of Saints & Sinners

Darragh Doran

27 Dec 2024 — 4 min read

Cobh, Cork.Photo by Jason Murphy

Cobh might look like just another pretty port town, but this harbor has seen more drama than The Crown, from Titanic tears to prison fears, singing donkeys and grateful bisons.

Cobh. The Titanic's Final Harbour

Cobh is famous as the last port of call for the Titanic. This was the last piece of land the Titanic left for the New World. The Titanic Experience is worth a visit if you're interested in that kind of thing.

The Titanic has a very Irish history, since it was built in Belfast by Harland & Wolff. If you want to see something they built that still survives, cross their Mardyke Bridge in Cork City.

and you can snap the town's colorful streets.

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Cobh was known as Queenstown when the Titanic visited.

Cobh gets cruise ships, avoid going when there’s a ship in town. This small town gets overcrowded with cruisers. Check portofcork.ie before you go.

Walk up to Lookout Point and take in the same view those leaving for the final time saw. Maybe go for a swim at the Promenade.

Everyone wants that cathedral photo. Head up to Spy Hill where locals balance their phones on the wall for the perfect shot. Just don't drop your phone, it's a long way down.

Saints, Sinners & Stars On Spike Island

Spike Island was enough to strike fear into any Irish teenager when I was growing up. “Keep doing that and you’ll end up on Spike” was enough to mute the most boisterous of little brats because it was a youth offender's facility under the early 2000s.

Known as Ireland's Alcatraz, it been holding people against their will for hundreds of years. Today you can voluntarily visit it and you should. The views from the ferry & the island are spectacular, especially if you catch a later sunset one. Although in Irish Summer's sunset isn't until close to 11pm!

Saints

Ironically, it started off as a place for saints. Back in the 7th century, Saint Mochuda founded a monastery there and it traded holy hands for a few hundred years, before people empowered with swords rather than crosses ran it for another half millennium.

Sinners

Spike Island's real name is Fort Mitchel. Named after John Mitchel, an Irish nationalist, who was sentenced by our good friends the English to transportation to Van Diemans Land in 1848 under the new Treason Felony Act. They introduced this act to replacement the punishment for treason from death to a free ticket to Australia. Half of Ireland's under 30s today would be committing treason if this limited offer was still available.

Stars

The fort is of course star shaped, because they love anything star related in Cork, the starry Fort James and Charles in Kinsale, Star Wars sets in West Cork, Cillian Murphy everywhere. Although Kerry is really the best place in Ireland to see the stars at the Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve.

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Book Spike Island online. They're usually sold out at the gate and you'll just end up disappointed.

Roaring Donkey

I like a pint in the Roaring Donkey. The name drew me in, but the friendly locals kept me there. Try a Cork brew while you're here, the Franciscan Well are well established. Or cross county lines and have a Waterford Dungarven Brewing Company, just be ready for raised eyebrows from your new Cobh friends. There are others, sure try them all!

I'm a sucker for a good pub name, my favorite was also in Cork, The Goat Broke Loose. Unfortunately so did the lease long ago. Gone but not forgoaten.

Best coffee spots are Leonardo's and Truly Scrumptious along the promenade. Local spots, good brew.

Fota Wildlife Park

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Take the scenic train to Cobh. It also stops on Fota Island, which is the only train station on an island in Ireland.

Cobh has a bit of a reputation in Cork, so it's fitting that there's a wildlife park on its outskirts to tame the locals. I'm a big animal lover and not huge on animals in captivity, but Fota does have a very good reputation for the care they give their furry guests. Their 100 acres are set up as natural habitats, and conservation is their core mission. The Fota House & Gardens are worth a visit if you've been binging on period dramas.

21 Ditches

The wonderfully named 21 Ditches Walk will show you parts of Cobh that only locals go.

Irish Salmon. Smoked and Hung

Irish salmon is the stuff of legends and veteran smoker Frank Hederman is himself a legend for smoked salmon, both wild salmon caught locally and organic Irish fish. This is the best salmon you will ever try. And it's Irish as could be.

At Hederman’s salmon is cured and smoked in small batches in Irelands only traditional timber smoke house. Here fish are hung for flavour and tender texture rather than shelf life. Come, see and taste the difference at this last remaining artisan smokehouse while you can. Book ahead of time.

Get Lost

We'll point you in the right direction, but the real adventure is when you wander off on your own. Because in Ireland, there's no such thing as a wrong turn. Just don't ask the locals for directions unless you've got time for a chat.

9 More Cork Day Trips

There's 5 day trips in our central Cork guide. And we have 5 more Cork day trips in our West Cork guide. You'll be speaking like a Cork native if you do all ten!