Hugging the south coast of Great Island, Cobh is a historic seaport in Cork Harbour. It was previously known as “Ballyvoloon” and “Queenstown” before being renamed “Cobh” during the Irish War of Independence. In addition to being an important shipbuilding hub, it was a major embarkation point for convicts being deported abroad.
Things to do in Cobh
Learn about Cobh’s links to the Titanic at the Cobh Heritage Centre, which details the town’s role as a departure point for Irish emigrants and convicts from the 17th century. Learn how the Great Famine impacted the area and hear about the sinking of the RMS Lusitania, an ocean liner torpedoed by a German U-boat during World War I.
Housed within the former ticket office of the White Star Line is the Titanic Experience Cobh, which is dedicated to the legendary ship and its sinking. On a guided tour, you can hear stories from some of the 123 passengers who embarked the Titanic in Cobh, only to encounter one of the world’s worst maritime disasters four days later. In addition to multimedia presentations, cabin reconstructions help to bring the event to life.
A short drive north of Cobh is the Fota Wildlife Park, a 40-hectare sanctuary home to around 30 different mammals and 50 bird species. In addition to getting up close to giraffes, cheetahs and bison, you can observe red pandas, siamang gibbons and Sumatran tigers. Surrounding “Monkey Island” are wetlands that provide habitat for great white pelicans and Chilean flamingos.
Getting around Cobh
Cobh is around 25 minutes’ drive from the centre of Cork and Cork Airport, which has flights to destinations across Europe. Regular trains connect to the Cobh railway station and buses travel throughout the town. The centre of Cobh is compact enough to explore on foot.