Principal

 Cork is a city in the republic of Ireland, capital of the homonymous county, in thehistoric province of Munster.

It is the second most populous city in the country, behind Dublin, and the third on the island after Belfast and is built on the River Lee, which for a short section forks into two channels, creating an island on which rises the city ​​center. The Port of Cork is the second largest port in the country and one of the largest natural harbors in the world.

It has an area of ​​187km2 and a metropolitan area of ​​820km2 and a population of 124,391 people

The city has a wealth of gastronomic traditions, some shared with other parts of Ireland, and others specifically local. The most famous foods in Cork are crubeens and drisheen.

the crubeens is made with boiled pork legs that are then often battered and fried. They are traditionally eaten by hand, like corn on the cob, can include pork calves and can be consumed fried, roasted, baked and in other preparations.

Drisheen is a kind of blood sausage traditionally prepared with sheep's blood and cream or butter. Like the tripe, oatmeal or breadcrumbs are added to the mixture of blood and cream or butter and seasoned with pepper, nutmeg and tansy. It is usually eaten fried or grilled.

Other traditions include the celebration that marks the return of meat to the table at the end of Lent. Celebrated in the early nineteenth century, and called "whipping the herring" which consisted of a butcher whipping a herring while walking through the city, once they reached the river lee, the butcher threw the herring into the river and returned to his business to distribute meat to spectators.

The economy in Cork is developing faster with shopping malls that mix modernity and art and local family-run shops selling exclusive and often handmade products.

Department stores cater for all budgets, from expensive boutiques to small shops. Malls are all over the suburban area in places like Blackpool, Ballincollig, Douglas, Wilton, and Mahon Point.

Cork is the heart of southern Ireland's industry. Its main industry is pharmaceuticals, which provide many jobs to the region. The most famous product in the Cork pharmaceutical industry is Viagra.

Most of Cork's economic success is due to its strategic location near a port, skilled workers and the government's pro-business policy. The depth of the port of Cork allows the entry of ships of any size, bringing trade and easy import and export of products. Cork International Airport also allows easy access to mainland Europe and Kent Station in the city center guarantees good rail links for regional trade.

HISTORY OF CORK:

The city was founded around the newly opened monastery of Saint Finbar in the 6th century, the city charter was granted by Prince John during his first visit to Ireland in 1185. By the 13th century, walls were erected to protect the city in case the Vikings attacked.

Today, the walls remain but much of the city is rebuilt, due to repeated fires.

Between the late 17th and early 18th centuries, French Protestants came to Cork fleeing the religious persecution of Louis XIV. In this period new buildings were erected, many in Georgian style, as in Dublin. Some examples are the Church of Christ, the Church of Santa Ana and a customs office building. After this, its port activity grew considerably, and traders exported large quantities of butter and beef to Great Britain, the rest of Europe and North America.

CORK CULTURE:

The city is home to numerous art institutes, such as the Cork School of Music and Crawford College of Art and Design. The Firkin Crane building houses the Institute for Choreography and Dance, where contemporary dance classes and performances are given. There are ballet companies, such as Cork City Ballet, and independent theater companies. Of the latter, the best known is Corcadorca Theater Company, in which Cillian Murphy participated.

Immigrants from around the world, especially from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and, to a lesser extent, from African and Asian countries, have contributed to Cork's cultural diversity, which is reflected in the recent growth of multicultural restaurants and shops. At the end of the 19th century there was a significant immigration of Jews from Lithuania and Russia. Many Jewish citizens, such as Gerald Goldberg, David Marcus, and Louis Marcus, played an important role in 20th century Cork. However, although the Jewish quarter and the synagogue still exist, the Jewish community is currently almost non-existent.

INTERESTING PLACES IN CORK:

The English Market:

The market has survived fires, civil wars and an attempt to rename it, but when it was proposed to replace it with a car park in the 1980s, the people of Cork refused to replace their food market.

The English Market continues to thrive and is now called the 'best indoor market in the UK and Ireland' by celebrity TV chef Rick Stein. Visit Farmgate Café to taste delicious dishes made with market produce.

Crawford Municipal Art Gallery:

It is an old building in the customs of the city. At the center of the permanent collection is a series of Greco-Roman casts of sculptures preserved in the Vatican. Since their acquisition in 1816, a collection of Irish art has flourished around these busts, including paintings, sculptures and installations. In recognition of Ireland's rich literary tradition, the Crawford also houses a series of portraits of admired Irish authors such as Samuel Beckett, W. B. Yeats and Elizabeth Bowen.

Saint Finbar Cathedral:

In its present form it is a masterpiece of the French Neo-Gothic, this is a place that has been dedicated to Christian worship since the patron saint of Cork, Saint Finbar, founded a monastery here in the 7th century. After numerous changes, renovations and reconstructions, the cathedral was completed in the 19th century after having cost a huge sum exceeding £ 100,000, wiping out the original budget of £ 15,000.