Cobh

When the new owners of the condo upstairs decide to remodel the ENTIRE UNIT – it’s time for a road trip.  After hours of banging and pounding going on over our heads our chosen location was just what we both needed; the quaint waterfront town of Cobh – which is also an island in Cork’s harbor. Cork is Ireland’s second largest city so we gave it a wide birth as we drove towards Cobh.  Even though the tourist season is coming to a close the traffic was ‘measurable’.  

Cobh is a harbor town in every sense.  This was the last port-of-call for the Titanic before she sunk in 1912.  In 1915, the Lusitania was sunk 26 miles off the coast and all that survived were bought to Cobh.  They have 3 mass graves in the old Church Cemetery of those that did not survive. 

 A few miles off the coast sits Spike Island. Unfortunately, it was closed the day we were there.  There is so much history on this island, but I will address that when I return for a visit, someday.  😉 In the meantime, I can see it from our 3rd floor hotel room at the Commodore Hotel.  

There is a statue of Annie Moore and her brothers, they say were the first immigrants to be processed at Ellis Island in America. Apparently, many immigrants to America and convicts to Australia have been processed from here. 











What a hoot the hotel was!  Talk about history, it was built in 1854 as the Queens Hotel (for Victoria).  Ownership was taken over by Mr. Otto Humbert (German) around the time of WW1.  He upgraded the hotel with electricity, telephones, a motor garage and horse stables in hopes of attracting the more lucrative passenger lines from Cork Harbor.  It was working until the Lusitania was sunk, by the Germans. The townsfolk were already pretty anti-German, but the sinking of the Lusitania sent them over the edge and they wanted to burn the hotel to the ground.   The entire Humbert family hid in the wine cellar until they could escape. The hotel was commandeered by an English Lady Mackworth who turned it into a hospital for the survivors.   Following the War of Independence in 1921 the name was changed to the States Hotel and in 1939 it became the Commodore.  It's been owned by O'Shea family since 1968.

It's full of character (not quite charm) from the crooked walls to the wavy floors.  Century old 'lift' and on some doors you can see where there have been numerous hinges and handles.  The walls are thick and the toilet rocked (due to antiquated and ill fitted plumbing).  I love staying in older hotels, but this one was borderline.  We ate dinner down the street at Jacob's Ladder in the WatersEdge Hotel. 

The City itself reminds me of San Francisco, in that it's all up and down - with every steep hills that come right down to the water's edge.  Numerous one-way streets just to confuse the tourists I'm sure.  There are lots of shops that cater to the tourism trade and many that were closed for the season, or like Spike Island only open on the weekend. 

On the highest hill, overlooking the city and harbor is the extremely impressive St. Colman’s Cathedral, Roman Catholic diocese of Cloyne. Built in 1879, Gothic Revival architecture.  Oh Baby!  It took more than 50 years to be completed and consecrated.  It houses Europe’s largest carillon. The church bells, connected to an automated system that rings on the hour and every 15 minutes, or connected to the organ and independently played by a carillonneur (what a specialized job) for masses, weddings, funerals or special events.  This cathedral has 49 bells and we heard them loud and clear, play numerous times throughout the day.  This is an imposing, beautiful and inspirational structure. 

We visited the Old Church Cemetery and located the three mass graves from the Lusitania as well as Irish boxing legend, Jack Doyle.  We were greeted with a spectacular sunrise for a glorious new day.

PHOTO ALBUM