Thursday 1 May 2014

A welcome by dolphins and a farewell by a tenor and a town’s band

We spent our last day in Ireland in Cobh and its wonderful surroundings. On our way to the city we have been accompanied by a huge group of dolphins.

Steffie Wiegand

Cobh is after Sydney the second largest natural harbour of the world. The harbour was first named Cove, what means bay.

FriedaPhoto

From 1850 to 1920 it was renamed in Queenstown, after Queen Victoria had visit the city. After the foundation of the republic of Ireland it was renamed again into Cobh, that’s nothing else than a Gaelicisation of the English name Cove. Today Cobh is well-known as the harbour of Cork.

Steffi Wiegand

Cobh gained notoriety between 1848 and 1950 when 2.5 million persons of only 6million Irish people left Ireland to emigrate to North America as there was a huge famine in Ireland, especially on the countryside. Some monuments in Cobh are built to memories this terrible time.

Steffi Wiegand

At the 11th of April 1912 Cobh, at this time still called Queenstown, has been the last port of call for the RMS Titanic.

Steffi Wiegand


An 8 hour excursion drove passengers through the wonderful surroundings of the county of Munster. The first stop has been in Blarney Castle, a medieval stronghold near Cork at the river Martin. Here passengers had the time to enjoy the castle and the nice garden around it.

FriedaPhoto

FriedaPhoto

After a nice homemade Irish lunch in Blarney city passengers left for Kinsale, a little picturesque harbour city nearby Cork. In former times Kinsale has been an important harbour town. Today the economy of the city is based on tourism.
FriedaPhoto

Another excursion went to Cork city and a whiskey distillery. What would be Ireland without its famous and tasty whiskey?

The city of Cobh offered us a special musical treat before we left. The tenor Ryan Morgan gave us an impressive performance in the Observation Lounge and the Cobh Brass and Reed Band was playing at the pier when we had to leave Cobh and Ireland. That has been a magnificent farewell.

Steffi Wiegand

 The day ended with MV FRAM’s famous crew show. 


Steffi Wiegand