Cork
(county, Republic of Ireland), largest and southernmost
county of the Republic of Ireland, in Munster Province. The Atlantic
coastline of the county is broken by numerous bays and inlets,
including Cork Harbour, on which is situated the county borough, Cork;
Kinsale harbour; and Bantry, Clonakilty, Dunmanus, and Long Island
bays. The Blackwater, Lee, and Bandon are the chief rivers of Cork. The
western part of the county is mountainous, with much boggy land; the
eastern and southern parts are fertile. Agricultural products include
potatoes, turnips, and oats; other industries in Cork include dairying,
salmon and mackerel fishing, and mining of coal, copper, manganese,
barites, sandstone, and limestone. Area, 7459 sq km (2880 sq mi);
population (1991) 410,369.
Cork
(city, Republic of Ireland), city in southern Republic of
Ireland, county borough and seat of the county of Cork, located on the
Lee River, at the head of Cork Harbour inlet. It is the second largest
city in Ireland after Dublin. Cork is an important distribution center
for the surrounding agricultural region, and exports cattle and other
products. Industrial establishments include breweries, distilleries,
and factories for the production of chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
Among the notable buildings of the city are the 19th-century Roman
Catholic and Anglican cathedrals, Saint Mary's (1808) and Saint Finbar
(1880), respectively; and Queen's College, Cork (1849), which has been
part of the National University of Ireland since 1908. The city dates
from a religious settlement founded in AD 622 by Saint Finbar. During
the 11th century the Danes made it a trading station encircled with
walls. In 1172 Cork was taken by King Henry II of England, and in 1649,
during the English civil war, it fell to Oliver Cromwell, Lord
Protector of England during the Commonwealth. The town changed hands
once more in 1689 when it was captured by John Churchill, 1st duke of
Marlborough, for the English crown. In 1920 parts of Cork were burned
down by British forces after Irish nationalists raided a British
military convoy. Population (1991) 127,024.
From Encarta 98 Encyclopedia
The major towns in County Cork
are: Bantry, Bandon, Clonakilty, Cobh, Cork City, Fermoy, Kanturk,
Kinsale, Mallow, Midleton, Mitchelstown, Skibbereen Youghal.
