Travel with Terri
Cobh, Ireland: A walk through history and a roaring good time!
By Terri Marshall
Photos by Gregory Holder
First impression? Postcard! Cobh, formerly known as Queenstown, is located on the Great Island in County Cork Ireland and it is beyond postcard pretty! The colorful buildings of the town slope down a steep hill from St. Colman’s Cathedral – the crowning glory of this picturesque community. Looking beyond the pretty face of Cobh you will discover a community rich in maritime history – some of it incredibly tragic – a community with entertaining personalities and an undeniable connection to the United States.
- Town of Cobh
centuries of history. Of the 6 million Irish people who emigrated to North America between 1848 and 1950, 2.5 million of them left from Cobh. As testament to this, on the waterfront outside the Cobh Heritage Centre stands a statue of Annie Moore and her brothers. Annie Moore left from Cobh to become the first person admitted to the United States through the immigration center at Ellis Island, New York on January 1, 1892. There is a similar statue of Annie Moore on Ellis Island. Visit the Cobh Heritage Centre located in the quayside railway station for an in depth look at the history of the emigrants. http://www.cobhheritage.com
On April 11, 1912, Queenstown was the final port of call for the RMS Titanic as she left for her ill-fated transatlantic journey to America. Passengers left from the pier of the White Star Line’s Office to board tender ships which carried them to the Titanic as she waited anchored at the mouth of the Harbour. Cobh was the boarding location for 123 passengers – only 44 of those passengers survived the sinking. In 1915, maritime tragedy struck the town again when the Lusitania was sunk by a German U-Boat off the Old Head of Kinsale nearby. Survivors and victims were brought to Cobh for medical care or burial.
- White Star Lines dock where passengers boarded tender ships for the Titanic
on Cobh in the USA, UK and Australia. Michael will walk with you through the streets of Cobh and provide you with insights into its rich history. Perhaps the most striking realization is how much Cobh has remained unchanged since the era of the Titanic. The occupants of the brightly colored storefronts may have changed, but the architecture remains in tact from the early 1800’s.
Some of the significant landmarks you will visit along the Titanic Trail include the Lusitania Peace Memorial in Casement Square erected to commemorate lives lost and to pay tribute to the townspeople of Cobh who repeatedly journeyed to the site of the sinking ship in efforts to rescue additional passengers throughout this heartbreaking experience.
Erected in the 1830’s the White Star Lines Office with its original pier still stands. Visiting this sight you will walk where the Titanic passengers walked before boarding. First class passengers were checked in on the first floor of the building overlooking the harbour while third class “steerage” passengers lined up down the ramp at the side of the building.
Follow the footsteps of the families of departing emigrants who climbed the steep streets known as the Cathedral Walk to wave goodbye to the ones they loved as they sailed out of the harbour. The climb will take you to the center of Cobh to the spectacular St. Colman’s Cathedral. This Neo French Gothic structure took 47 years to build. Completed in 1916, the cathedral’s famous carillon has 49 bells with the heaviest weighing 3.6 tons. St. Colman’s Cathedral’s carillon is the only one in Ireland. Not only will sacred hymns be heard throughout Cobh when the carillon plays – you could very well hear a Beatles tune!
Titanic Trail Tours depart daily from The Commodore Hotel on the waterfront. Built in 1854, The Commodore Hotel was one of the first purpose built hotels in Ireland. The most noted owner of the hotel was Otto Humbert of German descent. His family took over the ownership of the hotel with a focus on attracting the harbour’s liner traffic. However, anti-German sentiments resulting from the sinking of the Lusitania forced the Humbert family to hide out in the hotel’s wine cellar as an angry mob called for the hotel to be burned down. The hotel was commandeered by an English lady who was on holiday in Cobh at the time. She converted the hotel into a temporary hospital to treat victims of the Lusitania. A copy of the letter she wrote to her husband detailing the daily activities at the time is on display at the hotel. Today the hotel has been renovated and makes an excellent lodging choice for exploring all Cobh has to offer. http://www.commodorehotel.ie
In addition to The Titanic Trail walking tours, Michael Martin’s Heritage Tours & Talks offers several other touring options including tours of Spike Island. After nearly a decade of petitioning, Michael was successful in garnering public access to Spike Island and now conducts tours for an up close observation of 14 centuries of diverse history. Originally serving as the sight of a monastery, Spike Island has also been witness to Viking raids, Norman conquest, used as a prison depot and a military sight throughout centuries of conflict. Visitors depart Cobh by ferry for a 90 minute guided walk through history. http://www.spikeislandcork.com
Additional tours offered through Michael’s company include organized pub crawls or a chilling Ghost Walk through Cobh for tales of haunting and murders. Be careful before you ask about ghost stories about your hotel – Michael will be sure to accommodate and you may find yourself waking in the night listening for the sound of infant cries or pipe organs! For more information visit http://www.titanic-trail.com or contact Michael at [email protected]
History is not all Cobh has to offer. Its harbor location makes it a perfect place to begin water explorations including fishing excursions, sailing and kayaking. There are also numerous golf courses and tennis options available. The Commodore Hotel concierge will be able to connect you with the perfect company for your active pursuits. http://www.commodorehotel.ie/activities
Pubs are abundant in most Irish towns and Cobh is no exception. Whether you choose to participate in an organized pub crawl or explore on your own, you are sure to find good times and good company – or as the Irish say “lots of Craic”! If you are fortunate
enough to be in Cobh on a Wednesday night The Roaring Donkey is the place to go. This small pub tucked away in a residential section of Cobh is not typically at tourist destination – and that is exactly what makes it fun! Michael Martin was gracious enough to invite us along for the locals’ Wednesday night music session. This informal “jam session” of traditional Irish music was one of the best experiences I have had to date in my travels. The residents are welcoming, entertaining and extremely musically talented. At any point someone may decide to belt out an old Irish ballad and everyone joins in – I am convinced they know all the words to every Irish tune! Pints of Guinness flow like water and the laughs will flow along as well. Yes, it is truly a roaring good time at The Roaring Donkey! http://www.theroaringdonkey.com
Cobh’s beauty, history and pleasant residents make this a place everyone should experience at least once. Personally, I plan to experience it several times!
Special thanks to the Ireland Tourism board for their help with this story. Planning a trip to Ireland? Check out their website http://www.discoverireland.com.
Terri is a freelance writer with regular columns on travel, chocolate and bar reviews. She is busy each month visiting new places to bring unique travel destinations and events to you. Yes, it is a sacrifice – but she is willing to do that for her readers! You can see more of Terri’s writing at www.examiner.com where she is the National Chocolate Examiner and at www.barzz.net. You can contact Terri at [email protected]