County Cork

County Cork Contae Chorcaí
Location
Statistics
Province:	Munster
County seat:	Cork
Code:	C
Area:	7,457 km2 (2,879 sq mi) (1st)
Population (2006)	481,295 (4th)  (including City of Cork); 361,877 (without Cork City) [1]
Website: www.corkcoco.ie

County Cork (Irish: Contae Chorcaí) is one of the twenty-six counties of the Republic of Ireland, and also one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, located within the province of Munster, and was named after the city of Cork (Irish: Corcaigh). The southernmost of the Irish counties, covering an area of just under 7,500 square kilometres it is by far the largest county in Ireland. Cork is nicknamed "The Rebel County", as a result of the support of the townsmen of Cork in 1491 for Perkin Warbeck, a pretender to the throne of England during the Wars of the Roses. In more recent times, the name has referred to the prominent role Cork played in the Irish War of Independence (1919–1921) when it was the scene of most of the fighting, in addition it was an anti-treaty stronghold during the Irish Civil War (1922–23).

Contents 1 History 2 Geography 2.1 Rivers and Lakes 2.2 Coastline 2.3 Land and Forestry 3 Wildlife 4 Irish Language 5 Anthem 6 Media 7 Places of Interest 8 Economy 9 People 10 Towns & Suburbs 11 Location Grid 12 See also 13 References 14 External links

History

Much of what is now county Cork was once part of the Kingdom of Deas Mumhan (South Munster), anglicised as "Desmond", ruled by the MacCarthy Mór dynasty. After the Norman Invasion in the 12th century, the McCarthy clan were pushed westward into what is now West Cork and County Kerry. Dunlough Castle, standing just north of Mizen Head, is one of the oldest castles in Ireland (A.D. 1207). The north and east of Cork were taken by the Hiberno-Norman FitzGerald dynasty, who became the Earls of Desmond. Cork City was given an English Royal Charter in 1318 and for many centuries was an outpost for Old English culture. The Fitzgerald Desmond dynasty was destroyed in the Desmond Rebellions of 1569–1573 and 1579–83. Much of county Cork was devastated in the fighting, particularly in the Second Desmond Rebellion. In the aftermath, much of Cork was colonised by English settlers in the Plantation of Munster.

In 1491 Cork played a part in the English Wars of the Roses when Perkin Warbeck, a pretender to the English throne, landed in the city and tried to recruit support for a plot to overthrow Henry VII of England. The mayor of Cork and several important citizens went with Warbeck to England but when the rebellion collapsed they were all captured and executed. Cork's nickname of the 'rebel city' originates in these events. The nickname was later applied to the whole county.

In 1601 the decisive Battle of Kinsale took place in County Cork, which was to lead to English domination of Ireland for centuries. Kinsale had been the scene of a landing of Spanish troops to help Irish rebels in the Nine Years War (1594–1603). When this force was defeated, the rebel hopes for victory in the war were all but ended. County Cork was officially created by a division of the older County Desmond in 1606.

In the 19th century, Cork was a centre for the Fenians and for the constitutional nationalism of the Irish Parliamentary Party, from 1910 that of the All-for-Ireland Party. The county was a hotbed of guerrilla activity during the Irish War of Independence (1919–1921). Three Cork Brigades of the Irish Republican Army operated in the county and another in the city. Prominent actions included the Kilmichael Ambush in November 1920 and the Crossbarry Ambush in March 1921. The activity of IRA flying columns, such as the one under Tom Barry in west Cork, was popularised in the Ken Loach film The Wind That Shakes The Barley. The centre of Cork city was razed to the ground by the British Black and Tans, in December 1920 as were many other towns and villages around the county.^[2]

At this time many Cork residents moved to Liverpool, in England, among them the ancestors of John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

During the Irish Civil War (1922–23), most of the IRA units in Cork sided against the Anglo-Irish Treaty. From July to August 1922 they held the city and county as part of the so called Munster Republic. However, Cork was taken by troops of the Irish Free State in August 1922 in the Irish Free State offensive, that included both overland and seaborne attacks. For the remainder of the war, the county saw sporadic guerrilla fighting until the Anti-Treaty side called a ceasefire and dumped their arms in May 1923. Michael Collins, a key figure in the War of Independence, was born near Clonakilty and assassinated during the civil war in Béal na Bláth, both in West Cork.

Geography

Cork borders four counties, Kerry and Limerick to the north and north-west and Tipperary and Waterford to the east. Cork contains a large number of mountain ranges including the Slieve Miskish and Caha Mountains on the Beara Peninsula and the Ballyhoura Mountains on the border with limerick. Probably the most notable range are the Shehy Mountains which contain Knockboy (706 m) the highest point in Cork. The Shehy Mountains are on the border with Kerry and may be accessed from the area known as Priests Leap, near the village of Coomhola. The Galtee Mountains are located across parts of Tipperary, Limerick and Cork and are Ireland's highest inland mountain range. The upland areas of the Ballyhoura, Boggeragh, Derrynasaggart and the Mullaghareirk Mountain ranges add to the range of habitats found in the county. Important habitats in the uplands include blanket bog, heath, glacial lakes and upland grasslands. Cork has the 13th highest county peak in Ireland.

Rivers and Lakes

The three great rivers the Bandon, the Lee and the Blackwater and their valleys dominate central Cork. Habitats of the valleys and floodplains include woodlands, marshes, fens and species rich limestone grasslands. The river Bandon flows through many towns including Dunmanway in the west to the town of Bandon before draining into Kinsale Harbour on Ireland's south coast. Cork has two well known sea loughs which are Lough Hyne and Lough Mahon and also contains many small lakes. An area has formed where the River Lee breaks into a network of channels weaving through a series of wooded islands. There are 85 hectares of swamp around Cork's wooded area. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) carried out survey of surface water in County Cork between 1995 and 1997 which identified 125 rivers and 32 lakes covered by the regulations.

Coastline

Cork has a mountainous and flat landscape with many beaches and sea cliffs along it's coast. The southwest of Ireland is known for it's peninsulas and some in Cork include the Beara Peninsula, Sheep's Head, Mizen Head and Brow Head. Brow head is the most southerly point of mainland Ireland. There are many island's off the coast of the county in particular off West Cork. Carbery's Hundred Isles is a term used to describe the islands around Long Island Bay and Roaringwater Bay. Fastnet Rock lies in the Atlantic Ocean 11.3 km south of mainland Ireland making it the most southerly point of Ireland. Many notable islands lie off Cork including Bere Island, Great Island, Sherkin Island and Clear Island. Cork has 1,094 km of coastline, the second longest coastline of any county after Mayo which has 1,168 km.

Land and Forestry

Like many parts of Munster, Cork has rich fertile agricultural land and many bog and peatlands. Cork consists of approximately 74,000 hectares of peatlands which amounts to 9.8% of the county's total land area. And the county contains approximately 79,188 hectares (195,677 acres) of forest and woodland area or 10.5% of Corks land area which is decently higher than the national average of 9%.

Wildlife

County Cork offers habitat to a diversity of flora and fauna. The Hooded Crow, corvus cornix is a common bird, particularly in areas nearer the coast. Due to this bird's ability to (rarely) prey upon small lambs, the gun clubs of Cork County have killed a large number of these birds in modern times.^[3]

A collection of the marine algae is housed in the Herbarium of the botany department of the University College Cork.^[4]

Parts of the South West coastline are a hotspots for sightings of rare birds, with Cape Clear being a prime location for bird watching, the Island is also home to one of only a few Ganet colonies around Ireland and the UK.

A major attraction to the coastline of Cork is whale watching with sightings of fin whales, basking sharks, pilot whales, minke whales, and other species being frequent.

Irish Language

County Cork has three Gaeltacht areas where the Irish language is the primary medium of everyday speech. These are Múscraí (English: Muskerry) in the north of the county, especially the village of Cúil Aodha (Coolea) and Oileán Chléire (Cape Clear Island) an island in the west and (lang en Ballingeary) (Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh) is a village in the Shehy Mountains in west Cork.

A Gaeltacht or Irish-speaking area, it is an important centre for Irish-language tuition, with an active summer school, Coláiste na Mumhan, or The College of Munster. Each term lasts for 3 weeks where students have fun, learn a bit of Irish and make friends.

Anthem

The song "The banks of my own lovely lee" is the song traditionally associated with the county. It is often heard at GAA fixtures involving the county, as well as at soccer matches.^[5]

Media

There are several media publications printed and distributed in County Cork. These include publications from Thomas Crosbie Holdings, most notably the Irish Examiner (formerly the Cork Examiner) and its sister publication, the Evening Echo. Local and regional newspapers include the Carrigdhoun, the Cork Independent, The Corkman, the Mallow Star, the Douglas Post, the East Cork Journal and the Southern Star.

Radio stations available in the county include: Cork's 96FM and dual-franchise C103 (formerly 103FM County Sound), CRY 104.0FM, Red FM, and Life FM.

Places of Interest

Attractions include the Blarney Stone and Cobh, the port where many Irish emigrants boarded for their voyage to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa or the United States and also the last stop of the Titanic, before departing on its fated journey. Home of the World's Oldest Yacht Club, the Royal Cork. Crosshaven

West Cork is a popular destination for German, French and Dutch tourists, who visit the small villages and islands at Carbery's Hundred Isles including Sherkin Island, Oileán Chléire or Cape Clear Island and Dursey Island. Mizen Head, the "southwesternmost point in Ireland" is also in West Cork, as is Sheep's Head. West Cork is noted for its rugged natural beauty, fine beaches and distinct social atmosphere.

In 2010 the Cork and Swansea reopened to allow tourists and visitors to travel from Cork to Swansea. The new Swansea to Cork route will commence with an inaugural sailing from Cork on Monday March 1, 2010, (returning Wednesday March 3).^[6]

Economy

The South-West region comprising of counties Cork and Kerry contribute € 24,877 billion ($39.3 billion USD)(2005 values; 2008 exchange rate) towards the Irish GDP.^[7] The harbour area to the immediate east of the city is home to a large number of pharmaceutical and medical companies.Mahon Point Shopping Centre is Cork and Munster's largest shopping center and has over 75 stores including a retail park.

People

The people of Cork are often very vocal in their praise and admiration of their home county. This is especially true if they are based outside of Cork or are speaking of it to people of other counties. This has become somewhat of a joke among other Irish people. Cork people even sometimes refer to their native county as a separate country, the so-called "People's Republic of Cork" and claim to desire independence from the rest of the country. There is also a firmly held belief among the population of Cork that it is the "Real" capital of Ireland and they frequently refer to it as such.

Towns & Suburbs

Historical populations
Year	Pop.	%±
1653	54,250	—
1659	63,031	16.2%
1821	730,444	1058.9%
1831	810,732	11.0%
1841	854,118	5.4%
1851	649,308	−24.0%
1861	544,818	−16.1%
1871	517,076	−5.1%
1881	495,607	−4.2%
1891	438,432	−11.5%
1901	404,611	−7.7%
1911	392,104	−3.1%
1926	365,747	−6.7%
1936	355,957	−2.7%
1946	343,668	−3.5%
1951	341,284	−0.7%
1956	336,663	−1.4%
1961	330,443	−1.8%
1966	339,703	2.8%
1971	352,883	3.9%
1979	396,118	12.3%
1981	402,465	1.6%
1986	412,735	2.6%
1991	410,369	−0.6%
1996	420,510	2.5%
2002	447,829	6.5%
2006	481,295	7.5%
[8][9][10][11][12][13]

• Ballincollig, Bandon, Bantry, Blarney, Buttevant
• Carrigaline, Carrigtwohill, Castletownbere, Charleville, Clonakilty, Cobh, Cloyne
• Doneraile, Douglas, Dunmanway
• Fermoy
• Glanmire
• Kanturk, Kinsale
• Macroom, Mallow, Midleton, Millstreet, Mitchelstown
• Newmarket
• Passage West
• Rathcormac, Rosscarbery
• Schull, Skibbereen
• Tower
• Youghal

Location Grid

		County Limerick	County Tipperary
	County Kerry		County Waterford
		County Cork
	Atlantic Ocean	Celtic Sea

See also

• List of abbeys and priories in the Republic of Ireland (County Cork)
• List of towns and villages in County Cork

References

External links

• Cork County Council
• Guide to County Cork for Tourism & Business
• County Cork Travel guide
• People's Republic of Cork
• Cork's War of Independence

Counties of Ireland Connacht Galway (Galway City) · Leitrim · Mayo · Roscommon · Sligo Munster Clare · Cork (Cork City) · Kerry · Limerick (Limerick City) · Tipperary (North Tipperary • South Tipperary) · Waterford (Waterford City) Leinster Carlow · Dublin (Dublin City • Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown • Fingal • South Dublin) · Kildare · Kilkenny · Laois · Longford · Louth · Meath · Offaly · Westmeath · Wexford · Wicklow Ulster Antrim† · Armagh† · Cavan · Fermanagh† · Londonderry† · Donegal · Down† · Monaghan · Tyrone† Italics denote non-administrative counties. Brackets denote eponymous cities or non-traditional counties. † denotes counties of Northern Ireland