Cork is a medieval city, one that has seen upheavals, rebellions, famine, prosperity, disenfranchisation, civil war, sporting glory, political intrigues as well as scandal of all kinds. Ghosts, legends (a lot of them still living) and a hive of musical geniuses are found out of proportion to most cities and it has a literary tradition that resounds down through its entire history.

As Cork is so small and walkable, its history is far from abstract. In fact, it’s all around you as you spend time wandering around its streets. You will sense it and live it; you can’t hide from it. The city’s Heritage Pubs are the nerve centres of this history, having been shaped by it, and there are a number of books available that will help you understand the uniqueness of this place and its drinking establishments.

Foremost, for me, are Conal Creedon’s Passion Play and Second City Trilogy. Passion Play, in particular, is based around the author’s own home area of Devonshire Street and its surrounds. I’d suggest getting a copy of this book and reading it in the Sin É, which is just around the corner, or indeed before you visit Cork at all as it really does sum up the dreamy reality that is this neighbourhood – funerals, beer, horses, swans and coffins are not out of place and if you just go with it, you won’t be either.

Second City Trilogy explores universal themes such as resentment, pity, love and hope but in a book that drags you in, puts you in the room and allows you walk the very streets of Cork, you will connect to the very soul of the city. Unfortunately, the play was out of print the last time I looked, but try irishtownpress@eircom.net or contact the author himself.

For all you punks and ska heads out there, Kevin Barry’s ‘City of Bohane’ is set in an Irish city in the future. There is almost a bass line or rhythm coming at you from its pages and it has a collection of characters and egos that, in my opinion, is pure Cork.

I’m convinced this fine city is the book’s inspiration and it will literally plug you into another level. In recent times, you could still visit homes on the northside where the Holy Trinity gazed down on you from the mantlepiece along with JFK, James Connolly and Bob Marley. Read this book and you will unlock another level!

To get an idea where these authors get some of their characters from, go back even further. I recommend the writings of Sean O’Faolain and Frank O’Connor, especially O’Faolain and his short story Up the bare stairs. I see Creedon in him or is it that I just see Cork in both? Indeed, Dublin does not have a total monopoly on James Joyce as his A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man’ includes Daedalus having to visit Cork and is a pure example of the mountain not coming to Muhammad…

Last, though not least, if you want to understand the soul of Cork and its people, you must read The Mad Woman of Cork by the great Paddy Galvin (may he Rest In Peace). To help you understand the language and unlock the various levels of Cork slang, look no further than Dowtcha Boy, which is a book by Morty McCarthy.

Order a pint of Mi Daza and you’re off.

Benny McCabe

For the very best in wholesome traditional food, look no further than The Old Town Whiskey Bar at Bodega delicious food & drink served 7 days a week breakfast, brunch, lunch & dinner.

The Old Town Taqueria is an integral part of The Black Dog. Our huge new open kitchen sits next to the bar, offering some delicious Tacos, Quesadillas, Tostadas and many more Mexican classics – available 5 days a week.

Rising Sons Brewery has the amazing €17 deal with a pizza & a pint from Sunday to Thursday.

Arthur Maynes serves food, coffee & cocktails from 10am – 2AM 7 days a week, delicious breakfasts options & sandwiches to a feed fit for a king! Tapas and selection boards. Arthur Maynes is also the only restaurant in the city to serve food until 1.30AM, if you need that late night bite, look no further.

Discover the true meaning of traditional Irish music, here you will find no generic ballads, river dance or leprechaun hats – our musicians uphold the traditions as passed down from generation to generation – as it has been for hundreds of years!. Our sessions are the purest form of unembellished Irish music with various styles from the far reaches of rural Ireland maintaining  the styles played. As we struggled for our place in the world and as our brothers and sisters struggled to find their place in lands abroad, this is their music, this is our music – join us for the real thing.

Real Irish music sessions never take place on a stage (unless there’s a flood!) they congregate in the corner facing each other in a circle as to face the crowd is believed to denigrate the music. The music is more than that so join us and experience they way your ancestors would have listened to it. All visits to Cork for traditional Irish Music have began and ended in Sin é

However, be wary of the traditional music sessions thrown together for the tourists that flock to this great city in the summer. If you want to go where the musicians themselves congregate and where music is played for the love of it, start in the much-admired Sin É.

With live trad 7 nights a week, this house has been hosting music sessions since the early 1970s when the doors of many of the city’s pubs were closed to traditional music. If you see anyone famous, just ignore them (that’s the Cork way and the way they prefer it themselves!)

Visiting Cork and looking to do something a little different? Book your Brewery Tour and Beer Tasting in advance at risingsonscork@gmail.com or ring 0212414764. €15 per person. Minimum 2 guests and maximum 10

Available at 6pm sharp Tuesday and Thursday. 12pm sharp on Saturday afternoon also.

Why not visit Cork City’s finest, award-winning micro-brewery and let us take you through our history, our beer making process and finally a guided beer tasting of two to three of our beers.

Our tour guides, who are self-confessed beer nerds, will briefly bring you through Ireland’s rich brewing history and explain how our family-owned and independently run brewery fits into Ireland’s current thriving beer scene.

We will introduce you to a simplified science behind making beer and introduce you to each of the different vessels and how they’re used in our custom- built brewery

From the brewery we move to the bar to take you through a guided beer tasting where we introduce you to the Rising Sons’ award-winning brews,and offer you an opportunity to learn a little bit about identifying different beer styles as well as giving you a chance to tell us what you think!

Finally, we round up the tour with a quick Question & Answers session where we’ll do our utmost to answer any questions you’ve ever had about beer, the art of making it and indeed drinking it!