In Praise of East Cork. Food. People. Place. Worth a Visit!

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In Praise of East Cork.

Food. People. Place. Worth a Visit!

Friendly people, great food, attractions on land and sea, both natural and man-made, make East Cork a gem of a place to visit. From the fantastic 13th century St Mary’s Collegiate Church in Youghal to high class Fota House Gardens and Arboretum, both free to enter, there is a treasure chest of places to visit in the area.

Fota Wildlife

Let me take you on a trip to see part of it. We’ll also enjoy some delicious meals as East Cork is a foodie’s paradise with top notch venues including Sage,  Barnabrow (ideal for weddings), Midleton’s pioneering Farmers Market (every Saturday) and the food mecca of Ballymaloe.

Christy Ring

And, before or after Barnabrow and Ballymaloe, do take the opportunity to visit the  medieval town of Cloyne. It is one of the hidden gems of the area, its skyline dominated by the large medieval Round Tower and across the road is St. Colman's Cathedral built in 1270/80 and still in use. Famous Cloyne people include the 20th century hurler Christy Ring and the 18th century philosopher George Berkeley, both of whom are remembered here: Ring's statue is by the GAA field and Berkley's tomb is in the cathedral.

Lunch at The Farmgate

Coming from the city on the main Cork-Waterford road, take the Cobh exit ramp and head for breakfast or lunch, right to Bramley Lodge, or left to The Bakestone Cafe at Ballyseedy.  Now, set up for the day, go over the nearby bridge to Fota Island and its many attractions.

If you have kids, go to the Wildlife Park; if not, walk through the renowned Fota Arboretum and maybe add a tour of the Georgian House or take a cuppa and a treat at the Bakestone Café here. If you like it around here, you may also try the high class  Fota Island Hotel and Golf Resort. Other top class hotels in the area include the Raddison Blu (Little Island) and the Castlemartyr Resort.

Maire and Victor welcome you to O'Mahony's Watergrasshill

Moving on, go over the Belvelly Bridge (take a long look at the recently renovated castle) and you’ll soon come to Frank Hederman’s famous smokehouse. You are now on Great Island where the cathedral town of Cobh is situated. Much to do here including the Sirius Art Gallery, walking tours (including the Titanic Trail and Spike Island), harbourside bars and restaurants and of course the Cobh Heritage Centre which tells of forced deportations and also the tales of the ill fated liners, The Titanic and the Lusitania. Need a snack and good coffee? Why not try Seasalt by the water. Also look out for Ellen's Kitchen and the Quays Bar & Restaurant.

Mitchel Hall on Spike Island

If you have four or more hours to spare, be sure to take the ferry over to Spike Island. It is a fantastic tour, great guides, so many interesting things to see and do, much of it related to its historic military and prison life, but also superb walks and views out over the harbour. Very Highly Recommended.

Fota House and arboretum; walled gardens too, plus a café

From Cobh, boats take you across to Spike and also on harbour tours. Maybe you’d just like to walk around the town; I did so recently, taking in the Holy Ground, the Titanic Garden and the Sonia O’Sullivan sculpture, and you may check it out here. Perhaps you'd prefer just to sit on the decking at The Titanic Bar & Grill and watch the boats go by.

Sonia

Whiskey Sour in Jameson

Time now to head out of the islands and head east to Midleton and a tour of the Jameson Experience. If you give the right answers here, you’ll end up with a certificate of proficiency in whiskey!

No shortage of cafes and restaurants here (indeed there's a café in the distillery). Plenty more outside, including the accomplished Ferrit & Lee, and the friendly Granary now celebrating twenty two years in business. Not forgetting the excellent Farmgate.

Midleton

Farm Salad at Ballymaloe Cookery School's Garden Café Truck

There will be detours, of course. One that I like - you may need a driver here - is to head towards Ballyvolane House near Castlelyons. Lots to do here, including fishing and glamping, and it is also the home of Bertha's Revenge Gin!

Be sure and call to the 200 year old O'Mahony's Pub in Watergrasshill. Superb local food and drink, music also, extensive sheltered outdoor areas and ways and means to keep the kids happy.

Featherblade of Beef, signature dish at Ferrit & Lee

Next stop is Ballymaloe, the home of modern Irish food. You could spend a day here. Maybe an overnight stay to sample the world renowned cooking. Call to the cafe for a mid afternoon or mid morning  coffee. And don’t forget Golden Bean coffee roaster Marc Kingston is also based here. Be sure to take a look at the impressive Cookery School gardens, not forgetting the Shell House and their truck cafe during the summer.

Food trucks are quite a new phenomenon in East Cork and you'll find them wherever people gather including Ballybranigan beach, Knockadoon cliff walk, and Ardnahinch beach.

Krug tasting in a Ballymaloe cornfield

In the nearby seaside village of Ballycotton, take a stroll down to the pier and see the fishermen come and go, maybe take a boat trip to the lighthouse on the nearby island. If you feel you need to stretch the legs, then there is a spectacular walk  along the cliff tops. After all that exercise, treat yourself to a gorgeous meal at CUSH or Seachurch. Don't overlook the Trawl Door (shop, café, ice-cream and deli).

View from the Bayview Terrace

If you need to overnight, then the Garryvoe Hotel and its top notch Samphire Restaurant, with great views over the bay, is close at hand. And across the bay, there's its sister hotel, The Bayview; great views here also. Closed in winter but, when open, check out the superb cooking of chef Ciaran Scully, an example here.

Ballycotton cliff walk

Youghal is the final town, on the Blackwater and just shy of the border with Waterford. On the way, you could stretch the legs in Killeagh’s Glenbower Woods one of many attractive walks in the East Cork area.

Just a few minutes from the village, you'll find the lovely food market on Joe's Farm (the family themselves renowned for their vegetable crisps); you can find superb local produce here, much of it from the farm. They also hold special events for the public, eg cutting sunflowers in August and harvesting pumkins later in the year.

Perhaps you'd prefer to take in the magnificent views on the two walks in nearby Knockadoon. In Youghal, take a boat trip on the Blackwater. If you want a mid-day salad or sandwich in the town, then the Sage Cafe will take good care of you. Just alongside is the newly refurbished Clock Gate Tower, a must visit!

After all the activity, you deserve to rest up for the night. Enjoy a meal in the Old Imperial Hotel on Youghal's main street, maybe just a drink in its old Coachhouse bar, maybe both! Aherne’s, of course, is famous for its seafood and they too have rooms.

Samphire at Garryvoe Hotel

And, before leaving the area, don’t forget to visit Ballynatray House, a Blackwater gem.

Dinner at Brook Inn

If, at the end of a day's touring, you find yourself heading back towards the city, then do consider the Brook Inn near Glanmire for dinner. It is a lively buzzy place and the food is good there too.

Fancy some amazing apple and pear drinks to bring home? How about a unique Ice Wine? Check out Killahora Orchard (near Glounthaune). We can also recommended some top notch cheeses including Ardsallagh, Bó Rua and Ballinrostig.

Enjoy East Cork, the food, the place and its people!

Ballynatray House, by the Blackwater

(revised 07.08.21)
If you have a cafe, restaurant, visitor attraction, not listed here, please let me know and I will do my best to visit with a view to inclusion in next revision. You may also use the comment facility below.

Blarney Castle Gardens 4th August 2021

Blarney Castle Gardens 4th August 2021

 

The murder hole

Blarney village from top of castle

The Herbaceous Border

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR DESIGN POP FESTIVAL

 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR DESIGN POP FESTIVAL

Happening across Cork city - on the ground and online

27th - 29th August 2021

www.designpop.ie

 

 

Love Design, Food and Events in equal measure and want to gain experience in all three? Then why not volunteer with Design POP.

 

The intention of Design POP has always been to celebrate the incredible talent in Architecture, Design, and Food/Drink producers in Ireland. It is more important than ever to celebrate creativity, collaboration, and support our local talent.

 

This year’s programme is its biggest yet – the festival has already announced seven architect, designer and food collaborations working on seven different outdoor pavilions which will be situated in different locations around Cork city: Mark Horgan and River Club Bar at The River Lee Hotel; Play Nice studio and Currabinny at Wandesford Quay; Cook Architects and Ballymaloe foods at Elizabeth Fort; Alan Macilwraith of JCA Architects and Good Day Deli at Nano Nagle Place; Maser and Crawford Gallery Café at Emmett Place; Wilson Architects and Naturally Nourished at Penrose Dock; CCAE and Blackrock Castle Observatory at Blackrock Castle.

(Full details on the pavilions can be found here: https://www.designpop.ie/pavilions )

 

Design POP will also host over 15 events at the outdoor festival HQ.

 

Volunteers are a vital part of the festival team. It’s a fantastic opportunity to make new friends and learn new skills. The festival, which takes place across various venues in Cork city from 27^th – 29^th August, requires people power for a number of positions including event stewards, and production assistants. All social distancing regulations will be strictly adhered to and masks must be worn.

If you are looking for work experience with festivals and concerts, if you have been to Design Pop previously and you want to get involved in the heart of the action, or if you are just up for a fun weekend and think you'd enjoy helping out then send an email to hello@designpop.ie

 

Full details on Design Pop, 27^th – 29^th August, can be found at www.designpop.ie

 

 

Design POP is made possible with generous support from Cork City Council and LEO Cork City.

The People's Park, Haulbowline

 The People's Park, Haulbowline

This is The Blacksmith's Hammer. It stands close to the entrance and "is preserved in honour of all  who worked in the former steelworks".

Every park has to have a coffee truck these days and here Coastal Coffee will take care of you!

Cobh, above and below, from the park

Open just a few weeks, yet quite a few different names for this facility. The County Council twitter account is using The People's Park, so I'll go along with that!

A Quart of Ale± #63 On the craft journey with a session of IPA and a Tom Crean traditional

 A Quart of Ale± #63

On the craft journey with a session of IPA and a Tom Crean traditional

Blacks St Tropez IPA Summer IPA 4.8%, 440 can

It’s summer and those brewery magicians at Blacks have bottled St Tropez for you in a gold colour and with a flirtatious white head that, like the summer, has no plans to hang around. Plenty of little bubbles in the cloud and, being Blacks, the personality is hops.

So okay, the party is not in the south of France. But a sunny garden on this island will do nicely. Bright citrus Cascade and resinous Simcoe hops have come to the party bringing grapefruit and mango both in the aroma (along with pine) and on the fresh palate and yes, that hop one two combination is quite a knockout. Fruit in the aromas and palate and no shortage of bitterness at the finalé.

They say: Maybe it’s the alcohol fumes, but crazy flavour fusions and quirky combos are constantly coming to us. We love nothing more than to experiment in the brewery to create craft beers with lots of personality and that pack a punch. Get them while they’re hop, our experimental brews aren’t around forever.

Hope Hop On Session IPA, 4.3%, 440 can Dunnes Stores

Attractive mid-gold colour on this one, lots of bubbles rising in a light haze. Hop-on is not the hoppiest beer you’ll taste but there’s enough bitterness there, with the mainly citrus fruit to balance the malty sweetness. It is indeed, as claimed, an easy drinking session IPA.

They say: Great with a cheeseboard or even a spice bag.

Geek Bits:

Malts: Vienna Malt, Oatflakes, Acidulated
Hops: Citra, El Dorado, Azacca
Yeast: American Ale

Tom Crean Kerry Surf & Turf Traditional Ale 4.2%, 440 can Brewery Sales

Came across this for the first time during a tour of the brewery in Kenmare on July 2nd (2021). Brewer Bill Sheppard: “… another new beer...A traditional ale with a real taste of Kerry, fusing the majestic mountain landscape and the crashing Atlantic surf, we infuse a combination of seaweed and peaty turf flavour to give a taste of ancient Kerry.” 

The smoker yields the peaty flavour while the seaweed is foraged kelp. There’s a natural nuttiness and sweetness here as the brewer attempts “to transition people to go to the second bottle". Ingredients are: barley malt, wheat, hops and yeast.

Colour is a dark amber, close to red, cloudy to be sure, and then there’s those peaty aromas. And on the palate, there’s no great evidence of the hops but there’s a tangy streak, perhaps from the kelp. Quite close to a red ale, methinks, and not a bad one at all. Looked like they drank well in ancient Kerry!

They say: The first commercially brewed beer in Kenmare for nearly 200 years and the first purpose built brewery in Kerry for probably the same length of time. All our craft beers are natural products, free from preservatives, additives and colouring.

Third Barrel Mr Blue Sky IPA, 7.0%, 440 can Bradleys

Hopped with 20g/l, this IPA is a hop monster. Hopped first with Citra and Simcoe to give a HUGE base of Grapefruit and Pineapple then hit again with a hefty tropical dose of Nelson and Mosaic. Malted barley, wheat and oats are also in the mix.

This is how Third Barrel introduce their orange coloured (more or less) Mr Blue Sky. Fluffy head doesn’t hang about. Citrus in the aromas, herbal notes too. Pretty intense (pineapple, grapefruit) on the palate, quite a concentration of the hops, one to sip rather than slug.

Curious Society “Atlantic 353” West Coast IPA 5.5%, 440ml can Bradleys

A light amber with a soft white head is what you see in the glass when you pour the Curious Society IPA, first produced by Larkins in Wicklow last March. Atlantic 353 is the name, after an old radio station and, if you like the artwork, they invite you “to check out Marconi’s radio station in Clifden”.

Citrus and pine show in the aromas. The first sip reveals a clean and flavoursome beer with a super texture and, despite what you might anticipate given the line-up of classic West Coast hops Magnum (bittering), Chinook, Centennial and Amarillo, this is not at all overly bitter. Very quaffable indeed with a long aftertaste. Best served cold, they advise; still I wouldn’t leave it too long in the fridge, think you’ll get more of the flavour if it’s not stone cold.