Visiting Cobh – the perfect day trip from Cork

Cobh (pronounced ‘Cove’) is a gorgeous coastal town situated half an hour from Cork. Although small, it packs a lot of punch for visitors wanting to learn more about Irish history, as well as those wanting to relax by the sea. 

If you don’t have a car you can easily get from Cork to Cobh by train. It takes around 30 minutes and the coastal scenery is lovely to look at as you trundle along. I spotted a heron and a castle!

I went on a Sunday so most of the shops were closed, however the main museums were open and there were a few places to get food.

Walk up the hill to St. Colman’s Cathedral

Standing tall above the coloured houses on the seafront is St Colman’s Cathedral. Getting up there isn’t as bad as it looks – it’s a short climb that only takes five minutes.

Regardless of your religious beliefs (or lack thereof), the interior of the cathedral is architecturally and visually very beautiful. From floral mosaics to delicate stained glass windows, there’s a lot to appreciate here. When I was there it was straight after mass, and the pews were filled with smartly-dressed families catching up on all the latest news.

Learn about Ireland’s history at Cobh Heritage Centre

I’m sure it’ll come as no shock to you that in the UK, we don’t learn about Irish history…so going to Cobh Heritage Centre really opened my eyes and sent me down many, many Wikipedia rabbit holes after my visit.

Cobh Heritage Centre covers lots of interesting, and often tragic, touchpoints in Cobh’s history. These include events such as the forced deportations to Australia in the 18th/19th Century, the causes and devastating impact of the potato famine, and of course, the sinking of both the Titanic and the Lusitania. 

I must admit I really like the approach that the museums in Cork and Cobh take. I don’t know about you, but I find that I retain so much more information when there’s a story behind something. Cork museums do that by telling stories about the lives of individual people – and so what might be a throwaway fact in a history textbook suddenly becomes a real person you can connect and empathise with.

Visit the Titanic Experience

Cobh was the last pick-up point of the Titanic before it went on its first and final voyage across the Atlantic, and so at the site of the original White Star Line Ticket Office you can find the Titanic Experience.

I made it half-way through the film Titanic when I attempted to watch it twenty years ago, so I knew a little but not a lot. Obviously I knew it didn’t end well.

Ahead of my visit I did wonder whether it would be a bit twee but was pleasantly surprised to find it was the opposite. It was actually fascinating to to hear about the lives of some of the locals that boarded the Titanic and to see the living conditions aboard the ship (ranging from basic to very fancy for the time). Of course, at the end of the tour you learn about how the ship went down, which is done very matter-of-factly. It lingered in my mind for a while afterwards though.

When you pay the entrance fee, you’re also given a replica of ticket that a real passenger received when they boarded in 1912, and at the end, you can find out if your passenger survived. I still can’t quite decide whether this is in poor taste or not. Nevertheless, it was interesting to find out who your person was and what happened to them. I also really enjoyed reading about some of the petty drama that happened after the event – families disputing claims to inheritances, accusations of sham marriages, etc. It just goes to show that nothing really changes, even over a hundred years later. 

Once the tour is over, you’re left to explore the final room at your leisure, before exiting through the gift shop. The gift shop is quite something. If you want something – anything – with Titanic Experience branding, it’ll be there. 

As a side note, if you’re travelling up to Belfast there is another museum called Titanic Belfast, which focuses a bit more on the design and construction of the ship itself.

Have an ice cream in John F Kennedy park

There’s not a whole lot to talk about here but after exploring Cobh, John F Kennedy park is a great place to sit with an ice cream and watch the flags fluttering in the breeze.

Take a boat trip to Spike Island

One thing I wish I had done on my visit to Cobh was to take the ferry to Spike Island, which has been used as a monastery, barracks and a number of prisons over the past 400 years. (The last iteration of the prison was shut in 2004).

There’s a 45 minute guided tour included in the ticket price, and you can also see many of the prison buildings and exhibitions on the island. If it’s a pleasant day, there are walking trails to explore too.