Cathedral of St Mary & St Anne, Shandon — Attraction in Cork

We stopped by the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne while exploring Cork—didn’t go inside, but even just from the outside it’s an absolutely beautiful building. The architecture is stunning, with loads of detail and a real sense of history. It’s perched on a bit of a hill too, so it really stands out against the skyline.

Admittedly, we admired it while getting fairly soaked by the classic Irish weather—let’s just say the views were dramatic and damp. Still, even through the rain, it was well worth the uphill wander. A lovely spot that we’d happily return to (ideally with an...

At one end of Cork you have St Fin Barre's Cathedral and at the other end and in total contrast you have Cathedral of St Mary. Although both large, St Mary's is Catholic church, modernised with modern stain glass windows. The current church was rebuilt following a fire in 1996, I think, however Church on tthis site dates back to 1731. Many original parts and pieces still exist but need finding. To the far side and tucked away a little are some oils in large ornate bottles but, also is a relic of Thaddeus McCarthy. The old font is also...

The Cathedral /Shandon area is the most historic area of Cork City. It was the heart of the Irish beef trade and the centre of the Worldwide butter trade, based in the Cork Butter Exchange.

The area has a host of historic buildings, some still performing the function for which they where built many centuries ago, such as Skiddy's Almhouse, St. Anne's Shandon, and of course the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne. Others, like the Firkin Crane, have found new life as...