Norwegian Breakaway

We arrived in Ireland on a typical day rainy and chilly, but by the end of the day the weather was superb and Ireland offered us a great surprise.

We boarded the bus and drove to the city of Cork for a drive around. The city is situated on the River Lee which splits into two channels at the western end and divides the city centre into islands. They reconverge at the eastern end where the quays and docks along the river banks lead outwards towards Lough Mahon and Cork Harbour, which is one of the largest natural harbours in the world by navigational area. Expanded by Viking invaders around 915, the city's charter was granted by Prince John, as Lord of Ireland, in 1185. Cork city was once fully walled, and the remnants of the old medieval town centre can be found around South and North Main streets. The city's cognomen of "the rebel city" originates in its support for the Yorkist cause during the English 15th century Wars of the Roses. Corkonians often refer to the city as "the real capital" in reference to its role as the centre of forces opposing the Anglo-Irish Treaty during the Irish Civil War.

Our next drive was to the town of Midleton, where John Jameson and sons moved his distillery from Bow Street in Dublin. "For over 200 years we called Dublin home, but in 1975 we moved our ever expanding operation to the green expanses of Midleton, Co. Cork. The big move wasn’t without risk, but the migration certainly paid dividends in the whiskey making department. Our new home provided the space we needed to stretch our legs and our whiskey making ambitions, proximity to barley farmers and freshwater probably aren’t what people typically look for when house hunting, but Midleton seemed to have everything we need as well as the extra space for visitors." Since I drink Jameson, this was a wonderful experience!

We then drove back to Cobh (Pronounced Cove) where we had the afternoon free. The port, which has had several Irish language names, was first called "Cove" ("The Cove of Cork") in 1750. It was renamed "Queenstown" in 1849 to commemorate a visit by Queen Victoria. No source has been identified for when the name was officially changed to Cobh, but it occurred around the time the Irish Free State was established. Cobh is a Gaelicisation of the English name Cove, and it shares the same pronunciation but has no meaning in the Irish language. After a little Murphy's stout which is brewed in Cork. We then headed to sea under sunny skies!