We wasted no time introducing John and Bridget to life on the road in Ireland. On their first full day with us, we piled into the car and headed for Cobh (pronounced Cove) the colorful harbor town on Cork Harbor with an interesting maritime history.
The drive took us along part of the Ring of Kerry, past mountains, lakes, sheep-dotted hillsides and colorful villages.
Then our GPS suggested a “shortcut,” through the middle of the Ring of Kerry sending us down roads barely wider than a sidewalk — yet somehow wide enough, according to Ireland, for two cars! Every blind bend was equal parts postcard view and adventure. From Killarney it was another hour to Cobh.
There were a few blood-curdling screams from the front-seat driver/navigator as our “shortcut” twisted along narrow roads, but we eventually reached our destination. Formerly known as Queenstown, Cobh was the Titanic’s final port of call before setting sail across the Atlantic on its ill-fated maiden voyage in 1912.
The ‘Titanic Experience Cobh’ is especially interesting because it stands in the original White Star Line ticket office, where the passengers who boarded Titanic checked in before heading out to the ship.
The tour made the story feel very personal. At the start, each of us received a boarding ticket with the name of an actual passenger who boarded the Titanic here in Cobh.
We carried our passenger’s story with us through the exhibits, and at the end came the big reveal: Did our passenger survive, or did they perish in the sinking? It was a simple touch that brought the history — and the people behind it — to life. Unfortunately, all of our passengers perished.
After the Titanic Experience, we strolled up the colorful streets of Cobh to Gilbert’s for lunch. John went classic with fish and chips, while I opted for a steaming bowl of seafood chowder with thick slices of Irish brown bread — the perfect seaside lunch in this historic harbor town.
After lunch, we wandered the colorful, hilly streets of Cobh, eventually making our way up to St. Colman’s Cathedral, perched high above the town and Cork Harbor.
St. Colman’s Cathedral is a neo-Gothic cathedral that took nearly 50 years to build, beginning in 1868. Its soaring spire dominates Cobh’s skyline. Inside, intricate stonework, stained glass and carved woodwork make it every bit as beautiful as the exterior. The tower is also home to a 49-bell carillon, one of the largest in Europe.
Standing high above the harbor, the cathedral must have been quite a sight for the generations of Irish emigrants sailing away from Cobh — often their last glimpse of Ireland.
After a day of winding roads, beautiful scenery, Cobh’s colorful streets and the moving Titanic Experience, we pointed the car back toward Waterville. Thankfully, the return trip came with fewer blood-curdling screams, and we arrived home safely — another full day of Irish history, adventure and memories in the books.
Jane in Spain 