🇮🇪 Cobh, Ireland 🇮🇪

Ooooo! It’s pretty here!!

Here are the 7 things I did in Cobh, and some PROTIPs to help you enjoy your stay.

Cobh is a very small town, known for its fantastic view of multicolored, cookie-cutter houses, with a backdrop of this big church, all on a massive hill overlooking quiet neighborhoods. I took the train from Cork (10.50eu round trip, 25 minutes each way), which didn’t take long at all. It was a quiet train with a nice view of the foggy day.

1. Visit the Statue of Annie Moore

Annie Moore and her brothers, which stood right next to the Cobh Cultural Center (also a great place to visit!). Annie was the first person to be admitted into the US through Ellis Island in 1892. What a crazy history – and fascinating, especially being from the States. Sometimes, while chatting with various folks, I thought I was talking to Americans because of their accent, and they would sure enough be Irish. ☘️

2. The Titanic Museum

When you first enter the Titanic Museum, they give you an identity card of someone who was actually on the Titanic. You explore the fascinating exhibitions and detailed accounts of what happened while on the ship. I read that Cobh was briefly known as Queenstown from 1849-1922 (thanks to the British haha), and was the Titanic’s last port of call in 1912. When you leave, you find out if the person on your identity card lived or not. (I did not, lol.)

3. “That beautiful street with the Houses”

I found the amazing houses with the famous view on all the postcards. At first, I tried to take a picture right on the street, but a local guy popped out of the little blue house in the picture, and motioned me into this cozy park. He said the pictures from the back of the park are well worth wading through the leaves. (Please be considerate here – this is a public place, so make sure to be thoughtful about your actions, and leave no trace. Try to stay on the indicated walkways.)

4. Talk to Locals

I was so tickled to chat with the guy in the blue house about how to get the best pictures. I thanked him profusely, and he told me how there are multiple tourists standing there everyday, trying to get the pictures that can only be captured from the park. He thought it was hilarious. “Unless they’re noisy. Then they can get the feck outta here.” lol

Also, I got so hungry posing for Insta-pics that I had to eat. I headed up the hill for some food. I searched and searched – nothing. Lol. Cold, shivery and wind-blown, I was surprised that I only found pubs that were closed until dinner time. I finally asked a guy walking his tiny pup where I could get some lunch. He highly recommended the Italian place down on the main street “by the telephone.” Lol

5. Get yourself some grub

This tiny Italian restaurant was cozy and warm, and owned by a couple from Italy. It was the only Italian restaurant in town, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding it 🙂 They made the most delicious tortellini and garlic bread, and let me stay as long as I wanted to warm up. 😋

PROTIP #1: Get Donuts

Irish donuts are the best things ever, and there are about a dozen different delicious flavors. I got a bacon maple gooey mess, and it was literally gone before I could take a picture (and we all know how much I like to take pictures, haha). Wherever you end up in Ireland, you don’t want to miss these delicious spectacles of savory happiness.

6. Shopping and eavesdropping

I window shopped and bought some adorable green potholders, keychains and magnets. Then, I went into a second-hand store, and awkwardly pawed at the old-lady sweaters while listening to the staff’s fascinating accents. Somebody was very upset with somebody else’s neighbor. (When I find out the rest of the story, I’ll update. 😂)

7. The Cobh train station

The wind picked up, and I still wanted to get a good bit of touring in Cork done, so I headed back to the little train that came every half hour.

At the train station, I loved the pretty view of the water, as well as the bulletin boards with an in-depth history as to why Cobh is important. It told me how the line was built, how long Cobh has been around, and all the contributions Cobh has made to Irish society.

It didn’t, however, tell me how to pronounce “Cobh.” I’d learned that the previous day at the airport….

PROTIP #2: Learn how to say “Cobh” lol

As I handed my passport to the Passport Control dude, the little balding man asked me where I was going in Ireland.

I told him, “Dublin, Kinsale, Kilkenny, Cork and Cob.”

He said, “No, you’re not.”

“Sorry?”

“You’re not going to Cob. You’re going to Cobh, like /Cove/.”

“Oh sorry! Cobh.”

*grumbles about American tourists* 😂😂 (and rightfully so haha) but then told me that, in Irish, the “bh” sounds like /v/ – I had no idea! What a nice little man.

I was glad that I arrived in the quiet town of Cobh knowing how to say its name properly. 😂😂😂

What a beautiful little town. I only had about 2 hours here, so I wish I could have stayed longer. If it was warmer, that also would have been more enticing, but locals say that Cobh’s breezy chill never stops, so bring a jacket. The town is quite small, though, so a nice day trip is entirely possible. What great fun! 🇮🇪☘️🇮🇪