Cobh

Cobh is a busy seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. It is located on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour. From 1849 until 1920, the town was named Queenstown. Today, Cobh has about 14,148 people, based on the 2022 census.

A special feature of Cobh is that it has Ireland’s only place for large ships to stop, called a cruise terminal. Many visitors come to see the town's history linked to ships and people who traveled far from Ireland.

Near the town are two small islands called Spike and Haulbowline. In Cobh, there is a very tall church named St Colman's. It is the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cloyne. This church is one of the tallest buildings in Ireland, standing 91.4 metres, or 300 feet, tall.

Name

The village on Great Island was called "Ballyvoloon." Nearby, ships docked at a place called "The Cove of Cork" or "Cove." In 1849, when Queen Victoria visited, the area was renamed "Queenstown." Later, during the Irish War of Independence in 1920, the name changed to Cobh, the Irish word for "Cove." The name Cobh does not have a special meaning. Long ago, the area was known as Cuan an Neimheadh, meaning the Harbour of Neimheidh. The island was called Oileán Ard Neimheidh, or the high island of Neimheidh.

Royal Navy
Queen Victoria
Irish War of Independence
Gaelicisation
Neimheidh
Great Island

History

Early history

Legends say that one of the first people to settle in Ireland was Neimheidh. He arrived in Cork Harbour over 1,000 years ago. The island was called Oilean Ard Neimheadh because of him. Later, it was known as Crich Liathain. The island then became Oilean Mor An Barra, named after the Barry family.

The small village was called Ballyvoloon and looked over "The Cove". In 1743, a fort called Cove Fort was built nearby. By 1750, the village had about thirty businesses.

The Water Club at Haulbowline in 1720 became the oldest yacht club in the world. It is now the Royal Cork Yacht Club.

19th century

In the early 1800s, Cobh grew quickly because of its safe harbour. It became important for the navy, especially during the Napoleonic Wars. Many buildings we see today were built during this busy time. After the wars, Cobh became a popular place for people to visit.

The Titanic

Cobh was a major port for Irish people leaving for North America between 1848 and 1950. On April 11, 1912, the famous ship Titanic stopped here before its last voyage. Many people from Cobh got on the Titanic. The ship sank, and only a few survived.

Penal transportation

Cobh was where many people were sent away to places like Australia. The Scots Church now holds records of these journeys.

Shipbuilding

Cobh had a big shipbuilding industry. Today, old cranes and tools from the past are part of the town's history.

The town saw many firsts in steam ships, like the first one to sail from Ireland to England in 1821 and the first to cross the Atlantic in 1838.

RMS Lusitania and the First World War

During the First World War, Cobh was a base for ships fighting against enemy submarines. American ships arrived in 1917, marking the first time American soldiers saw action in the war. The United States Navy set up a station in Cobh in 1918.

After the war, Cobh stayed under British control until 1938 when it became part of Ireland.

Economy and tourism

Tourism is very important for the town of Cobh. Big cruise ships visit in the summer. Nearly 100,000 people get off these ships when they stop at Ireland’s only cruise terminal in the town centre. Visitors can learn about the town’s history at places like the Queenstown Story at the Cobh Heritage Centre, the Titanic Experience, and the Cobh Museum. The town still looks much like it did when the ship Titanic left Cork Harbour in 1912.

Cobh once had a big steel factory, but it closed in 2001. Another important place was a ship-building factory that stopped working in the 1980s. Today, people can take tours to see Spike Island, leaving from a pier close to the town centre. New buildings like a shopping area and a swimming pool have been added recently.

Transport

Cobh has a commuter train service between Cork city and Cobh. The train stops at several stations and the trip to Cork takes less than 25 minutes. Cobh’s railway station opened in 1862.

The nearest airport is Cork Airport, about 20 to 30 minutes away by car. Cobh has the Port Operations Centre for Cork Harbour, and the harbour pilot launches are based at the Camber pier.

Only one road and road bridge leads to Great Island. In 1993, a ferry service started, letting cars and passengers travel from Glenbrook to Carrigaloe on Great Island in four minutes. No reservations are needed for the ferry.

Local government and politics

In 1862, a group was created to help manage Queenstown, which later became Cobh. By 1899, this group became known as an urban district council and worked from the Old Town Hall. In 2002, it was renamed Cobh Town Council.

In 2014, town councils in Ireland were no longer used. Now, Cobh is managed by Cork County Council. The town elects six councillors, and it is part of the Cork East area for elections.

Arts and culture

The Sirius Arts Centre is a place for arts and culture in Cobh, right by the water. It has many cultural events and music concerts in Cobh and nearby areas.

Every year in August, Cobh holds a festival called the Cobh Peoples Regatta. This event has performances by local musicians and actors, and a special contest to choose the "Regatta Queen". The festival usually ends with a fireworks show over the harbour.

Cobh was where the 2009 film The Eclipse was set, and it was also a filming place for the 1999 movie Angela's Ashes.

Education

Cobh has many schools for children. These include Colaiste Muire secondary school and Carrignafoy Community College. There is also a boys’ primary school called Scoil Iosaef Naofa. This school is good at games like hurling and gaelic football.

Sport

Cobh has many places where people can play different sports. The local gaelic games club is called Cobh GAA.

The town also has a rugby union club named Cobh Pirates RFC.

Cobh Ramblers is the main football team. They play in the League of Ireland First Division at St Colman's Park.

Cobh Golf Club has a big course with 18 holes. There is also a very old tennis club called Rushbrooke Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club.

People in Cobh enjoy rowing on the water. Every year, there is a fun triathlon called the “Escape from Spike Island”.

There are also two groups for young people to explore and learn.

People

See also: Category:People from Cobh

Cobh has been home to many interesting people over the years. Some became well-known scientists, like sisters Anne Elizabeth Ball and Mary Ball, who studied plants in water. Their brother Robert Ball was a scientist who studied animals.

Other famous people from Cobh include Decimus Burton, an architect who helped design the town's streets, and Nellie Cashman, who worked finding gold and helped others. Sports players such as baseball player Patsy Donovan, footballer Stephen Ireland, and Olympic silver medalist Sonia O'Sullivan also came from Cobh.

The town has also produced actors like Fiona Shaw and writers such as Elizabeth Louisa Moresby. Many more notable individuals have lived or been born in Cobh, contributing to its rich history.

Twin towns

Cobh has friendly connections with towns around the world. These include Kolbuszowa in Poland, Ploërmel in France, Lake Charles, Louisiana in the US, and Pontarddulais in Wales. These twin towns show how Cobh is linked with other places far away.