A Brief History of Cork

Author: Positivecontent

The history of Cork is very interesting and it was in the 7th century that St Finnbarre founded the county. This is what the people of Cork believe. St Finnbarre constructed an abbey in the county that gets its name from Corcaigh, a Gaelic word meaning a marshy place. For many centuries, the abbey flourished at Cork and it became widely acclaimed as a center of learning. In 820 AD, the Vikings attacked a nearby settlement and the abbey. After that, the Vikings formed their settlement on island on the River Lee.

In 1172, the Normans invaded Ireland and Cork was then handed over to the king of England. After the English conquest, thick stonewalls were constructed around the county of Cork. Ferocious fighting took place between 12th and the 17th centuries. This was the fight between the English and the Irish for the county of Cork. Cork emerged as a very significant center of trade in the Middle Ages. It gained importance as a very prosperous port exporting woolen cloth and animal hides.

In the 15th century the people of Cork fought against their English dominators. The rebellion fell down but ever since Cork came to be a known as a rebel or revolutionary county. In the 17th century, Cromwell captured Cork, while in the 18th century the county experienced an upsurge in its trading prospects. Soon Cork became a very important exporter of butter to different parts of the world.

The 19th century saw the population of the county increasing at a rapid pace because of immigration from rural areas. During the potato famine or the period of 1485-1849 and the 20th century, this county remained the chief port for allowing emigrants to various countries and the USA, from Ireland. In this century, the key industries of Cork were shipbuilding, distilling, brewing, and wool. In the 20th century, two wars namely Anglo-Irish War and the Irish Civil War took place.

In 2005, Cork received the prestigious designation of the European County of Culture. In order to discover the historical spots of the county, tourists can enjoy the services of car hire Cork.

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Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – A Brief History of Cork

Counties

Antrim
Armagh
Carlow
Cavan
Clare
Cork
Derry
Donegal
Down
Dublin
Fermanagh
Galway
Kerry
Kildare
Kilkenny
Laois
Leitrim
Limerick
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