Cobh, Ireland

The first thing we learned was that it is pronounced like “Cove”—“, don’t ask me why—I guess it’s Gaelic!” It is well-known as the last stop of the Titanic before its final resting place. It was also the closest harbor to the final resting place for the Lusitania (sunk 12 miles off the coast by a German U-boat in WWI) and was heavily involved in the rescue of survivors. It was also the last stop for 6 million Irish immigrants who came to America during the potato famine of the 19th Century. It used to be called Queenstown, in honor of a visit by Queen Victoria, but when Ireland got its Independence in 1922, they changed it back to Cobh.

Nearby Cork is the third largest city in Ireland, but Cobh retained its small village charm. Blarney Castle is nearby (with its Blarney Stone). And also nearby is Waterford—the headquarters for its fine crystal factory.



Our ship was docked right downtown, which is always the ultimate parking spot! You can just get off the ship and you’re there! We walked the harbor front and walked up the hill to Ireland’s largest (tallest?) cathedral, St. Colman’s. We hit the grocery stores and actually found a bottle of Febreeze to help with our cabin problems (cigarette smoke)! There were lots of Titanic and Lusitania memorials. But probably the most striking thing about this town was the colorful homes.

There was one particular set of homes that are nicknamed the House of Cards because of their angles and colors. All in all, a very pretty town!



 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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