Youghal

Now we were finally moving towards Cork.

Youghal (pronounced yawl) sits on the border of Waterford and Cork, yet another seaport servicing the local country upstream. It is one of the older settlements on the south coast and retains a distinctive character of a prosperous administrative and trading town.

Youghal Clock Tower

The town has a fingerposted walk guiding you through the many interesting historical buildings. On the approach to St. Mary's church is a building still retaining some of its Tudor features; this was the residence of Sir Walter Raleigh when he was mayor of the town. At that time he led quite a few military excursions throughout Ireland initiating the first of the English Plantations - as we moved further west, the number of Protestant churches increases with some locations where Church of Ireland was the only church building.

 

Rear of St. Marys

St. Marys is one of the few old churches remaining in Ireland; it grounds and graveyard terraced up the hill behind the church. One path leads to a mass grave filled during the famine with a stone coffin set at the foot of the steps; the coffin reused after carrying bodies to the grave. Inside the church displays its age with plaques, sculptures and artefacts from the many ages of the town. A rather depressing momento is the memorial to the the last duel fought in Ireland - between two junior officers stationed in the town during the 19th century, a disagreement arose during breakfast when one ignored a request to "pass the sugar"; both young men died as a consequence.

St. Marys Window

The town likely deserves more than the one day we spent exploring it but we were eager to be on our way and get to Cork.