Cork is Ireland's second largest city and part of County Cork, which is the largest county in Ireland. The city offers much to study abroad students from its fascinating history to its relaxed atmosphere as well as a vibrant restaurant and nightlife scene and excellent cultural attractions.
Culture abounds in Cork as evidenced by the city being named "Europe's Capital of Culture" for 2005. This means that for 2005, Cork will be showcasing its cultural treasures and vibrant artistic scene to the world through various events. Some of the city's notable cultural attractions include the Cork Public Museum, Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, St. Anne's Church, the Cork City Jail, and the National Radio Museum. The Cork Public Museum highlights the city's role in the struggle for Irish independence while the art gallery features the work of Irish artists with its permanent collection including Jack Yeats and Sean Keating. St. Anne's dominates the northern part of the city and contains a collection of 17th century Bibles as well as letters written by the poet John Donne.
Study Abroad Programs in Cork
Today one of the annual attractions that draws the most interest is the city's jazz festival, which typically takes place in October. The jazz festival highlights Cork's attitude toward the arts and general bohemian spirit. This is arguably the modern expression of the city's traditional rebelliousness, which first manifested itself when Cork served as the base for the National Fenian movement.
Geography is another aspect of Cork that makes it unique. Cork's city center is actually an island, situated between two channels of the river Lee. With a population of approximately 123,000, Cork is the Republic of Ireland's second largest city behind Dublin, which has a population of over 1 million. The entire Republic of Ireland has a total population of approximately 3.9 million. The geography of the city also gave it its name, which is derived from the Irish word, corcaigh, a term which referred to the marshes that the city was built on and between. The city's geography also influenced it through a strong maritime history with its deep natural harbor as one of its defining features.
Among Ireland's cities Cork has a proud tradition of education. University College Cork (UCC) is one of four constituent universities of the federal National University of Ireland. UCC was founded in 1845 and today is a dynamic university of more than 14,500 students. Another prestigious school located there is the Cork Institute of Technology. These schools are Ireland's leading research institutes and set the stage for the quality education to be found in Cork and Ireland as a whole.
Look forward to the opportunity to become a Corkonian. A city whose pride has long been placed in being a city of ideas as well as a city of individuals, Cork has much to teach with the warmth and willingness to help others that has made it a popular destination for many people throughout its history.
