The One with Cobh, Ireland

Our final destination on Friday September 18th was Cobh, Ireland in County Cork. Our airbnb apartment was in the yellow house with the purple flowers below. Such a primoespot! Right in the heart of the action and right on the water. 

County Cork, on Ireland's south coast, is fringed with historic port towns and scenic peninsulas. If your ancestry is Irish, there's a good chance that this was the last Irish soil your ancestors had under their feet. Cobh, pronounced "cove," was the major port of Irish emigration in the 19th century. Of the six million Irish who have emigrated to America, Canada, and Australia since 1815, nearly half left from Cobh. 
The first steam-powered ship to make a transatlantic crossing departed from Cobh in 1838 - cutting the journey from 50 days to 18. When Queen Victoria came to Ireland for the first time in 1849, Cobh was the first Irish ground she set foot on. Giddy, the town renamed itself "Queenstown" in her honor. It was still going by that name in 1912 when the Titanic, yup, the one and only, made its final stop here before heading out on its maiden voyage. To celebrate their new independence from British royalty in 1922, locals changed the town's name back to its original Irish moniker, Cobh.

Colorful Cobh.

Ireland is not afraid to use color and lots of it. I loved it.

Cobh sits on a large island in Cork harbor. The town's inviting waterfront is colorful, yet salty, with a fun promenade.

Colorful storefront after colorful storefront.

Doors galore.

In the heart of town is a memorial to the Lusitania, the British ocean liner that was torpedoed and sunk by a German u-boat in 1915, resulting in the death of nearly 2,000 passengers and crew.

We walked out onto the port and enjoyed the view of the waterfront stores and the towering Neo-Gothic St. Colman's Cathedral above.

Curving colors.

Pearse Square with the Lusitania memorial.

While walking around Cobh I googled the town to see what there was to see and I saw a view we had to find. Only problem, it was up a suuuuuper steep and long hill. Thankfully I have Chris who trudged up it pushing both kids in the stroller. He's a keeper.

Loved these houses and their original colors as we passed them. This street reminds me of the famous Painted Ladies in San Francisco (which I haven't actually seen in real life!)

After a little exploring and then Chris climbing up onto a huge rock wall, we found it! Be still my heart! Cobh in all its glory. Looking down into the harbor from up on the hill.

When we were done enjoying the viewpoint we walked over to see the church. St. Colman's Cathedral dates from the mid 19th century.

The interior is a lovely, intricate Neo-Gothic. 

It was an easy walk back down into town, especially after the huffing and puffing getting up the hill. The kids found a nice little black cat and said, "hi." I'm glad they're animal lovers like me. For dinner, Cobh had a Supermac's with their delicious Papa Johns. Mmmmmmm.

Our family in Cobh, Ireland on Friday September 18th 2015. 

We didn't get to tour the Titanic Experience museum. I guess we'll have to make a trip back!

Next stop: the most colorful town of them all, Kinsale!