Description
Metaphorically housed in restored Victorian railway station, the Cobh Heritage Centre is an entertaining and informative place to pull into town. I recommend checking it out, even if you do not arrive to Cobh by train. This is the place that most emigrants departed from when they set ship to America. It is a place of hellos and goodbyes, and The Queenstown Story is a fine exhibition of the history of departures that occurred from these platforms.
History
Over three million people emigrated from Ireland via Cobh, or Queenstown.
To See and Do
Learn about "An American Wake," a bittersweet party held on the last night at home, before an emigrant left to America. See the horrifying conditions on board the early "Coffin Ships." Watch old film reels of travel by sea. See the actual possessions of famine emigrants. Trace the history of vessels that left from Queenstown, from early steamers to luxury ocean liners. Queenstown was the Titanic's last port of call before she sank on her maiden voyage -- learn about the history of this ship. Learn about the tragic fate of the Lusitania, a huge luxury cruiser torpedoed by the Germans off Cork Harbor. Trace your family history at the Genealogy Information center in the station.
Additional Facilities
Restaurant, retail area, disabled facilities, and a Bureau de Change. Free coach and car parking adjacent to the centre.
How to get there
By car:
From Cork City, take N25 east, transfer to R624 south to Cobh.
By bus:
See www.buseireann.ie website for all current travel details and restrictions.
Opening times
We are open all year round closing Dec 23rd -Jan 5th
Oct-May 9.30 am 5pm (last admissions 4pm).
June-Sept 9.30 am- 6pm (last admissions 5pm).
Admission fee
Adults €7.10Children under age 8 are free.
Address
Cobh Heritage Centre
Cobh
Co. Cork
Ireland
Tel: +353 (0)21 4813591
Email: info@cobhheritage.com
Web: www.cobhheritage.com
My experience
A fine exhibition, packed with loads of information and artifacts. I enjoyed the thoughtfully designed, modern layout in the historical space. The entire exhibition is an experience for the senses, from the sound of the rocking waves to the dimmed lights - it felt as if I were at sea myself. I was able to recognize the horror an emigrant faced by the footage of the churning, open sea, and the realistically illustrated below-deck conditions. I gained a real sense of the actual passengers and of their lives
Highly recommended.
Written by Liz O'Malley - Summer of Travel 2007