Free Things To Do In Cork

Not everything needs to cost money!

Free family attractions in Cork

In this lovely County there is just so much to do and not everything has to cost money. We have put together the following list to show you want can be done in Cork without breaking the bank.  There is just so much to do with family and for individuals. Our top picks are below.

The lough

Cork City Lough is a 4 hectare lake located in the centre of the city and is a unique coarse angling area. It is primarily a carp fishery, however it also holds eel and small quantities of tench, perch and rudd.

The  Lough is also an important wildfowl area, and the water attracts many birds including large numbers of Swans and Ducks. The lough is a favourite for families to visit and feed the birds.  And also has a lovely playground for the children.

Fitzgerald’s park

Fitzgerald Park home to Cork Public Museum on the Mardyke is just a short distance from Cork City centre and the University College Cork. Fitzgerald’s Park where the visitor and local alike can enjoy a riverside on the banks of the river Lee.  Fitzgerald’s Park named after a previous Lord Mayor of Cork in 1901, Edward Fitzgerald, offers a quite retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city, with its beautiful tree lined avenues, brimming flower beds and rose garden to its many statues and sculptures and the large central fountain, this 18 acre park is a wonderful treat.  Fitzgerald’s Park is a quiet haven, which has a playground for the children and a cafe to enjoy the view of the river Lee and across to the gardens and houses of the Sunday’s Well area.  The park is also home to the famous “Shakey Bridge” which has recently been totally renovated.

Tramore valley park 

Managed by The Glen Resource and Sports Centre on behalf of Cork City Council, the Tramore Valley Park boasts many activities for all the family

• BMX Track
• Rugby Pitches
• Outdoor Gym
• 5Km walk way

Farran woods

Farran is a small Park that has a lot to offer in terms of activities and features. It has a diverse mixture of tree and shrub species that make it attractive all year round for visiting. It’s location on the southern shore of Inniscarra lake offer fantastic views of the reservoir and the many rowers at every level who train here, from amateur to Olympian. The lake or reservoir was created in the mid-1950’s by flooding agricultural lands to store water for the nearby Inniscarra hydroelectric generating station.

Activities include – Aerial Trials, Zip wires, playground, nature walks, Orienteering, rowing.

Doneraile park 

The Park comprises approximately 166 hectares and is an outstanding example of an 18th century landscaped park in the ‘Capability Brown’ style. Mature groves of deciduous trees, several restored water features and a number of deer herds can be viewed along the many pathways within the Park. The pathways are generally accessible for people with special needs.   Doneraile Court, the former residence of the St. Leger family, is situated within the Park. It is opened to the public following completion of restoration works, there is a Tea Rooms onsite (open 7 days a week) and New Large Children’s Playground. There are a number of free guided tours throughout the year, tours can be arranged for groups and visitors email: guides@doneraile.ie.    Doneraile Wildlife Park is free to visit during the opening times listed below.

Summer

Monday – Friday 08:00 – 20:00
Saturday – Sunday 09:00 – 20:00
Bank Holidays 09:00 – 20:00

Winter

Monday – Friday 08:00 – 17:00
Saturday – Sunday 09:00 – 17:00
Bank Holidays 09:00 – 17:00

Carrigaline skate park

The NEW €220,000 skatepark is finally open in Carrigaline, Cork  and has been heralded as a “hugely positive” development for teenagers in the area.  The Carrigaline Skare Park accommodates children of 10-years-old and over only.  It is a great place in Cork for a free afternoon of fun with the kids.

The english market

Cork’s English Market has served the people of Cork in the face of famine, flood, war and multiple recessions.  During this unprecedented public health crisis, we want to remain open to serve you, our customers.  The English Market is, above all else, a food market for essential fresh produce.

The mix of traders in the English Market is as diverse as at any time of its existence.  Small stalls sit alongside larger businesses, fledgling traders beside long-established family businesses passed down from one generation to the next.  Meats and fish, herbs and spices, fruit and vegetables, sauces and oils, chocolates and cakes, cheeses and pastas – the Market caters for all culinary tastes and all eating occasions!!  You’ll also find crockery, t-shirts, novelty items, clothes alterations and art – an eclectic mix itself creating a diversity of customers, adding to the unique atmosphere of the English Market. Having experienced the sights, sounds and smells of the Market, customers can unwind and sample it’s tastes and enjoy the banter from the various cafés, delis and food plates from the atypical stalls.

St colman’s cathedral, cobh, co. cork

The Cathedral Church of St Colman, usually known as Cobh Cathedral, sometimes as Queenstown Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Cobh, Ireland. It is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Cloyne. It overlooks Cork harbour from a prominent position. Construction began in 1868 and was not completed until over half a century later due to increases in costs and revisions of the original plans. With the steeple being 91.4 metres tall (300 ft), the cathedral is the tallest church in Ireland. It used to be the second-tallest, only behind St John’s Cathedral in Limerick which was 94 metres tall, but newer measurements have shown that the St John’s spire is 81 metres tall and therefore only the fourth tallest church in Ireland.

Roche’s point lighthouse

Roche’s Point Lighthouse is situated at the entrance to Cork Harbour. A lighthouse was first established on 4 June 1817 to guide ships into Cork Harbour. The original tower was deemed too small and in 1835 was replaced by the larger present tower which is 49 feet high with a diameter of 12 feet.