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By Staff reports

Southerly city We Have 1 Photos From Cork! View Full Size

Click on the link for a handy PDF version of our November 2007 Dublin & Cork travel feature!

Ireland's second city

Ireland's second largest city is situated on the banks of the River Lee in the south of the County Cork. This was originally a port town built on canals and river channels that are now filled in. Cork is more laid-back than Dublin. There's a large artistic community here, with music, dance, theater, and visual arts in abundance. The gay scene is small but tight-knit and the divisions and cliques of larger cities are absent here, with ages and genders mixing more freely. It's been a more old-fashioned, less "out" gay community with an underground, tucked-out-of-sight feel.

As gay people are more open and visible, the general public pubs and nightclubs have become gay-friendlier of late.

Nightlife

Instinct Bar (Sullivan's Quay, opposite Grande Parade) is Cork's biggest, most popular gay nightclub, with lots of events such as the recent Mr. Gay Instinct, emceed by April Showers, and an upcoming Mardi Gras bash. Instinct now has a late-night license, so many people don't go anywhere else.

Flux! (56 MacCurtain Street) is a stylish but comfortable video bar and lounge for meeting, chatting, drinking, and watching must-see television events. There's also wi-fi internet.

Loafers (26 Douglas Street) is Ireland's oldest gay pub. It's quieter than the big and cruisy crowd at Instinct, with more women joining in the mix too. As the place is up for sale, consult local guides for updates.

Other Place (7-8 Augustine Street), a late cafe and bar, has special-event weekend club nights.

The gay-friendly Chambers Bar (Washington Street across from Courthouse) looks like an old haberdashery store, with mannequins and patterns around. Thursdays are gayest when the emphasis is on stylish appearances, but it's gay-friendly every night.

Climax is at the Liquid Lounge (29-31 Marlborough Street, above Clancy's Bar) and is a gay monthly nightclub event, usually on third Saturdays.. They have a pretty roof garden, a plush interior, and a big crowd.

Freakscene at the Qube (Oliver Plunket Street) is an every Wednesday alternative club night getting started around midnight. There's dancing upstairs to indie/alternative and soul, funk, motown, and R&B downstairs.

Cork Sauna (36 Lower John Street) is the local tubs. It's hard to find, but being the only such place in town, it's quite popular despite the minimal creature comforts.

Food

Proby's Bistro (Probys Quay) is a local favorite bistro and bar next to St. Finbarre's Cathedral.

Quay Co-op (26 Sullivan's Quay), a workers' cooperative vegetarian and vegan restaurant, is oft cited as Cork's best of its genre. They have a wide variety of meals (from snacks to three-course) and organic wines; also they serve breakfast from 9 a.m. to noon. Their organic and whole food store and bakery downstairs sells supplements, herbal remedies, and essential oils.

Café Paradiso (16 Lancaster Quay) is a vegetarian restaurant with a lively atmosphere and food to tempt even the most skeptical meat-eater.

Grub Cafe at the Other Place (8 South Main Street) is at the Cork Gay Community Development Project, with a healthy selection of soup, panini, wraps, crepes, beverages, and breakfast too. They provide free internet access for customers as well.

Down on the coast just to the south of Cork, the Bulman (Summercove, Kinsale) is a gay-friendly 200-year-old pub and Mediterranean/Asian restaurant. Their tables overlook a peaceful scene of the sea and boats in the harbor.

Events and information

Useful local websites include: Gaycork.com, with directories and an online gay map; Gayprojectcork.com; and Peoplesrepublicofcork.com.

TheAlternative Miss Ireland takes place in February. "Contestants must be special and their allure must be of a rarer sort," say promoters, and the winner goes to Dublin for the Miss Alternative Ireland contest.

Cork Gay Pride activities span a week as May slides into June each year. See Corkpride.com for details on next years celebrations.

Outlook is the local gay and lesbian film festival. It's a part of Murphy's Cork Film Festival, the biggest of its kind in Ireland.

Accommodations

Emerson House (2 Clarence Terrace) is a year-round bed and breakfast not far from the train station, with en suite rooms and wi-fi internet access from 40 euros per person (sharing).

Roman House (3 St. Johns Terrace; Interglobal.ie/romanhouse) is a gay and lesbian bed and breakfast with five en suite rooms from 55 to 75 euros.

Clarion Hotel (Lapps Quay) is a large modern hotel with 160 rooms and a gay-friendly bar called Kudos.