If you have a few hours to spare this old jail is well worth a visit.
Very interesting site and informative audio tour. About 4.5 euros to get in.
Very eirey and slightly depressing. Staff are friendly and helpful.

Q-PARKS

Found it convenient to park at the Q-Park in Carroll’s Quay this weekend but also found it costly, much more so than parking in the municipal high-rise in Paul Street.

They have introduced a half-hour charge of €1.40 which meant that two hours cost me a whopping €5.60 as against €4.00 in Paul Street or just €2.00 for disc parking on the street, say in Wellington Road.

In similar circumstances in the future, I’ll make that extra effort to get to Paul Street. Did have a snag with the receipt in Carroll’s Quay and I must say that the young man on duty in the office sorted it out quickly and courteously without any fuss whatsoever.

Everything about this place is just mediocre - nothing spectacular. Food portions are generous and the food is nice, surroundings are nice, prices are ok, the drinks are really limited though (both alcoholic and soft drinks!). I wouldn't be in a hurry to go again but there's zero atmosphere and the service can be hit and miss. Good value as regards prices, but everything else.....

Love this place - surroundings and treatments are fab. I only pop in for my eyebrows but the service is always great. The wax used doesn't seem to hurt as much as elsewhere and the girls really take their time to get the shape perfect.

Top notch, and a free lolly after!

AMICUS (not a Spanish restaurant!!!!)
(Paul Street)
021 4276455
My first impressions on entering Paul Street’s Amicus, after a long absence, were good. There was a jolly welcome and we were escorted to our lunchtime table upstairs. Seating was comfortably and the place looked good and clean.
The service was friendly and smooth throughout and we were asked if everything was okay two or three times which is about sufficient.
The food was excellent. I went for the specials, I often do. Started with a Celery and Bacon Soup, a hearty bowl of freshness with plenty of tasty bits in there.
Picked the main course off the board: Lamb with vegetables, garlic and rosemary mashed potato and a red win jus. Everything here was spot on, particular the vegetables which were cooked to a t, indeed a degree or two better than in a recent dish at Market Lane where they were a touch too hard.
They really have a huge menu here, huge choices and some bargains to be had. The drink list is also extensive and they sell red wines by the glass. I picked the De Gras Cabernet Sauvignon and this deep red medium bodied Chilean was great value at €4.95.
The bill for two (2 starters, 2 mains and 2 wines) came to €42.80. Would be quite willing to go back there again for an evening meal.

CRONIN’S PUB
Enjoyed a decent lunch in Cronin’s Pub in Crosshaven in mid-week. By chance, we ended up in a rather gloomy corner though there we later saw there was a much brighter room at the other side of the bar. Loads of boxing pictures (mainly old) and some interesting old posters, also lots of illustrations of ships around the place.
The welcome was bright and breezy and the starter, their famous fish soup (they don't call it chowder anymore) was top class, more like the fish soups you get in the south of France. Great value at €6.00.
Then on to the main course: garlic prawns on brown bread with chips and salad (€10.00). The excellent tasty chips were homemade. The salad was well varied, including a potato and dill portion, and well dressed. The prawns and the dip were also excellent.
On a personal note, I’m not really sure that brown bread and prawns, though they do pop up together every now and then, is the best of combinations. We had the brown bread with the soup and it was fantastic. But, wet from the prawns, it didn't taste its best. Perhaps, the brown bread could be served with the dish but separately.
Still, that didn't take much from an enjoyable meal which we rounded off with two decent coffees (€2.10 each). Service was quite efficient and friendly but next time we’ll probably sit on the brighter side!

Crosshaven
021 4831829
www.croninspub.com

CARRIGALINE-CROSSHAVEN WALK

This 5km walk, 10km return, is quite a pleasant one, with the estuary at your side all the way from outside Carrigaline to outside Crosshaven, not centre to centre. You may start at either end and there is also a car park at, approximately, halfway.

The path, shared between bikers and walkers (dogs on leads are welcome), is tarmac all the way and there are quite a few seats if you need a break or if you want to picnic. It is laid out over an old railway line, is very clean and popular.

CLARION HOTEL PENTHOUSE 28.08.10

The stunning rooftop penthouse of the Cork Clarion Hotel overlooks the city and I suspect that is why attracted most of us who visited during the recent Heritage day. But it is more than just a viewing point. The split level venue is an ideal party or product launch base and is fitted with all the latest technology.
And just to confirm: the views over the city are quite good, especially to the east, south and west.
www.clarionhotelcorkcity.com

GOOD WINE SHOW 13.11.09

Very enjoyable session at the Good Wine Show in the Clarion yesterday.

First up were the Curious Wines (Bandon) section where we got off to a lively start with a mouthful or two of Aureus Cremant de Loire. They had a terrific selection and definitely the best leaflet on display.

Then called to the Carrigaline based Karwig Wine stand where again we availed of excellent information delivered in a friendly manner. While they have wines from all over, their strongpoint is the quality and quantity of their German and Austrian wines and we particularly enjoyed our sample of the Wohlmuth Riesling.

Then it was on to Bubble Brothers, the city based merchant. Again, the staff were informative and friendly and we got a big welcome from the rep of the Australian Xanadu estate on the Margaret River, four hours out of Perth.

This estate was once owned by an Irish family (Lagan) but recently taken over by the Rathbones who have just relaunched the wines. And they are good and it was here, after talking a “consultation” break at the food tables (Irish and French cheeses from On the Pig’s Back, bread from Arbutus and smoked duck from Ummera), that we decided on their 2007 Next of Kin Cabernet as our Best in Show! The 2009 Next of Kin Sauvignon Blanc Semillon is not bad either!

Then, the day still young, we headed down to Kudos Restaurant with a 20% discount voucher from the show (which is on again this Saturday from 11.00 to 16.00).

LUNCH AT THE ATRIUM

The Atrium Lounge in the Clarion Hotel (Lapps Quay) is a good spot for a light lunch. Certainly, I enjoyed my recent visit and found the prices quite reasonable.

I had a Toasted Focaccia (with Greek cheese and tomato), served with a salad and a handful of potato crisps. It was quite substantial and the cost was €8.50. I had a glass of Siete Sauvignon Blanc (€5.75) with it and was very happy with the meal.

You get quite a choice of similar dishes - my companion had a Chicken Quesadilla - and they also have a selection of sandwiches.

The Atrium is more or less an extension of the lobby. It is not self service. You are served at your table as you sit in very comfortable seats.

So, if the shopping gets too much and you need a pit stop, call into the Clarion, relax and treat yourself.

MASONIC LODGE

Since 1844, the headquarters of Freemasonry in the province of Munster has been the Masonic Hall in Tuckey Street, one of the many premises throughout the city that opened their doors to the public on August 28th, National Heritage Day. It is also the meeting place of the local St Fin Barre’s Lodge No. 8.

I called in there soon after opening time and found it quite busy. Got a big welcome and an information leaflet and spent some time wandering around the various floors and looking at the souvenirs and artefacts of the order over the centuries.

Here you will find many historical items, including the original ceremonial level used at the laying of the foundation stone of the modern Patrick’s Bridge (1859) and later at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral (1865); ceremonial mason aprons, and banners, emblazoned with coats of arms of Prince Masons past and present, antique chairs and desks and so much more.

And indeed, there would have even more but for the 1970 fire that destroyed the adjoining Jennings Furniture and that damaged part of the Lodge.

If you’d like to visit, a coffee morning is held each Friday from 10.15am to 11.45am. All are welcome to visit and it is often an excellent introduction for prospective members. All proceeds from these mornings are donated to charity.
For more info on the Freemasons, see the website:
http://www.munsterfreemason.com

FENNS QUAY (the terrace)
Most Corkonians walk past Fenns Quay without realising its architectural importance. And I’m not talking just about No 5 which houses one of the city’s best restaurants, one of my favourites.
“The buildings 2-5 Fenns Quay comprise the majority of an 18th century terrace with remarkably intact interiors and has been “conserved, with European funding, in the Corporation’s Historic Area Action Plan and the project was awarded the RIAI Silver Medal in 2005 .” (summary of info in Cork Corporation’s Cork Heritage Open Day handbook)
It has certainly improved the area since my photo was taken in October 86, taken because I thought it resembled some townscapes I had seen in Brittany.

CUSTOM HOUSE
Cork Harbour, one of the biggest natural harbours in the world, is controlled by the Port of Cork who operate out of the historic Custom House, built just before the north and south channels of the River Lee join on their way to Cobh and the ocean.
Built towards the end of the 19th century (design by William Hargrave), the Custom House was taken over by the Port of Cork (then the Harbour Commissioners) in 1904 (on a 999 year lease).
The vaults are used by the Cork Bonded Warehouse and it is here that wines and spirits are stored, released only to the importer when the appropriate tax has been paid to the revenue.
No drinks on offer during my latest visit, as part of the national heritage day. Been there before as the rooms are often used for meetings e.g. Labour Court reconciliations etc.
There are some fine rooms here, particularly the boardroom, which dates from early in the 20th century: very impressive dark wood on the walls, patterned ceiling and a line-up of red chairs (photo). The committee room was also open to the public who were also able to view an impressive collection of art.
Very enjoyable visit and another one worth making is to the Port of Cork website. This is full of information about boats and ships coming and going. Much of it is geared towards commercial users but the general public can also find valuable information here. Want to know which cruise liner is in Cobh today? Then get on to the site below. Do you know where the Millennium Gardens are? Find out here.
http://www.portofcork.ie/
+353 21 4273125