Door from the Alms House in Youghal, Co Cork
Over the weekend we went exploring in Youghal, Co Cork – a town about an hour away from my home. The main street of Youghal, on first glance, is a bit run down with lots of empty shops and derelict buildings, but there’s more to Youghal than first impressions. The town was buzzing on Sunday as there was a ‘Moby Dick ‘ festival on, as this is where the film Moby Dick was made in the mid 50s. There was music, food and dancing in the streets!
We decided to explore a little more, and got a walking map from the Tourist Office, and came across some hidden gems, including St Mary’s Cathedral, which is the oldest church in Ireland, with continuous worship since the 13th century.
St Mary’s Collegiate Chapel
One of the main benefactors in Youghal was Richard Boyle who was the first Earl of Cork, and lived in Youghal for many years. He built 6 alms houses in 1601 for 6 retired soldiers, and granted them a pension of £5 per year – probably a princely sum in those days! The houses were renovated about 20 years ago, and are now used as private dwellings, but the original stonework is still there in places, as you can see, and they look exactly like they looked when first built.
Another view of the alms houses.
Tyntes Castle, Youghal
This is the door of Tyntes Castle, called an ‘urban tower house’ and built in the late 15th century, it’s a 4 story residence in the main street, where the gentry lived in earlier centuries.
Tyntes Castle, Youghal
Linked to Norm’s Thursday Doors
Like this:
Like Loading...
