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Royal Gunpowder Mills
Ballincollig
Co Cork
021-(0)487-4430
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Established in 1794 and in operation until 1903, the Ballincollig Royal Gunpowder Mills produced black powder for the military, most notably during the Napoleonic Wars. The 130 acre site includes 24 water-powered incorporating mills where the saltpetre, sulphur and charcoal were ground together, as well as refineries and a number of ancillary buildings.
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Blarney Castle and Stone of Eloquence
Blarney Castle
Blarney
Co Cork
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Blarney Castle is one of the oldest and most historic castles in Ireland, and the present castle is the third to have been built on the site. Located just to the north of Cork, this ancient stronghold was the seat of the McCarthy family and dates from the 15th century. Perhaps the most famous feature of Blarney Castle, and one of Ireland’s most treasured relics, is the famous Stone of Eloquence - which is traditionally believed to have the power to bestow the gift of eloquence on all those who kiss it. Kissing the Blarney Stone is still popular with visitors to the castle today.
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Fota Wildlife Park
Carrigtwohill
Cobh
Co Cork
353-21-481-2678
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Fota Wildlife Park contains 70 species of exotic animals amidst 40 acres of open grassland. Offering visitors the chance to see many species in an environment as close to their natural habitat as possible, only the Cheetahs are fenced in.
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Cobh Cathedral
Cobh
Co Cork
353-(0)21-481-3222
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The elaborately detailed neo-Gothic Cobh Cathedral is one of the most impressive buildings in County Cork. Dating from 1868, the cathedral dominates the landscape and offers superb views of the town and Cork harbour.
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Crawford Art Gallery
Emmet Place
Cork
Co Cork
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The Crawford Municipal Art Gallery in Cork is one of Ireland’s finest art galleries, and is home to a stunning collection of over 200 works, ranging from 18th century Irish and European artworks to contemporary visual art. The gallery’s centrepiece is a superb collection of Greek and Roman sculpture casts, which were brought to Cork in 1818 from the Vatican Museum in Rome. The Crawford Art Gallery runs a programme of temporary exhibitions and special events throughout the year.
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St Finbarr’s Cathedral
Bishop Street
Cork
Co Cork
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St Finbarr’s Cathedral in Cork is a magnificent French Gothic style cathedral, built between 1865 and 1879. It is the seat of the Bishop of Cloyne and Ross, and is named after Cork’s patron saint, St Finbarr – a Bishop of Cork in the 6th century. The site of the present cathedral has been a place of worship since the 7th Century and there were two previous cathedrals here before William Burges’ masterpiece was erected.
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Cork City Gaol
Sunday’s Well
Cork
Co Cork
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Cork City Gaol is a faithfully preserved 19th century prison which depicts with chilling realism the wretched conditions in which some of Ireland’s most notorious prisoners were kept. The cells contain lifelike figures with special effects recreating the gaol’s grisly past, while special presentations explain the social history and contrasting lifestyles of 19th century Cork, and try to understand why some of its citizens turned to crime.
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Charles Fort
Scilly Rd
Summer Cove
Kinsale
Co Cork
353 (0)21 477-2263
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Constructed in the late 17th century on the site of a previous coastal fortification, Charles Fort is a superb example of a star-shaped fort featuring five bastions. The fort played a significant role in the history of Kinsale, having been attacked by the forces of King William III following the Battle of the Boyne. Guided tours are available.
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Desmond Castle
Cork St
Kinsale
Co Cork
353 (0)21 477-4855
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Desmond Castle was originally built as a Custom House by the Earl of Desmond around 1500. Since then it has been used as a borough prison and a place to hold both French and American prisoners captured during the American War of Independence. It was also occupied by the Spanish during 1601.
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Mitchelstown Cave
Mitchelstown
Co Cork
353 (0)52 67246
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Mitchelstown caves is a well developed cave network with passageways leading to the Tower of Babel formation deep underground. Filled with drip stone formations, calcite curtains and crystals, stalactites and stalagmites, a full guide service is available.
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Drombeg Stone Circle
Skibbereen
Co Cork
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Known locally as the Druid’s Altar, Drombeg Stone Circle is an Iron Age stone circle set roughly in line with the winter solstice. Excavations have revealed cremated bones buried in the centre of the circle, making it one of Ireland’s most impressive and intriguing ancient monuments.
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Birthplace of Michael Collins
Woodfield
Nr Clonakilty
Co Cork
353-(0)23-33226
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While the actual building in which Michael Collins, head of intelligence for the IRA and Commander in Chief of the Irish Army, no longer exists, the groundplan is clear to see. A bronze memorial is located nearby, while another in the nearby village of Woodfield stands opposite the pub in which he is believed to have had his final drink before being assassinated in an ambush.
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