The Rebel City

At quite a desperation for this weekend since we did have nothing booked until 5 days before travelling, we managed to get a super deal once again with Ryanair on a very last minute rush. It involved going to one airport to return from a different one since returning from the same airport would have set the costs to double and more. Furthermore, a route we had already planned last year but could not manage in time when we went to Limerick and Galway. So Cork would be on Saturday, and the Ring of Kerry on Sunday.

Cork is the 3rd largest city in Ireland, just a bit larger than Limerick. Located on the banks of the River Lee and at the mouth of one of the largest natural harbours in the world. Founded in the 6th century as a monastic settlement, was in the 915 when the Vikings created a trading port and the city developed from there. At one point it was entirely walled when it was an outpost of Old English culture among the predominant Gaelic countryside.

There is a rivalry between Cork and Dublin, similar to the rivalry between London and Manchester or Madrid and Barcelona. Both “competing” to each other in offering “better” than the other. This leads nonetheless in Cork having a great and huge choice of activities and entertainment as Dublin, much larger city and capital, has also too. (more…)