Cobh goes down under

Cobh is set to say g’day to thousands of Australian visitors, as Australia Day hits Leeside today.

1,500 Australians will receive a true Australia Day welcome today, 11 July, when they arrive on board the Sea Princess cruise ship

Cobh is the only Irish stop on 59,000 kilometre, 107-day around-the-world cruise from Sydney, visiting 36 ports and travelling across both the Suez and Panama canals.

Cobh, which was recently named one of the 25 most beautiful towns in Europe by Condé Nast travel magazine, has christened the day’s festivities ‘Australia Day in Cobh’ since 2009, rolling out the red carpet to make the town one of the passenger’s favourite destinations because of the welcome they receive.

Cobh’s festival atmosphere will include non-stop free entertainment from 11am in the town’s waterfront promenade, including traditional music, Irish dancing, market stalls, a performance from trad band Gaelic Brew and a farewell musical knees up with Cobh Confraternity Band.

Australian Ambassador to Ireland Richard Andrews will greet the passengers and receive a guided tour of St Colman’s Cathedral. Visitors will be able to take in the likes of Cobh Heritage Centre, Spike Island, Cobh Pastimes and the Titanic Experience.

There will also be the chance to discover some of the richer historical features of Cobh including the Roses from the Heart memorial to the 25,566 convict women transported to Australia from Ireland and Britain from 1788 to 1853, and a commemoration of the 81st anniversary of the handover by Britain to Ireland of Spike Island.

Jack Walsh, Chairperson of Cobh Tourism said: “There are so many world class attractions in Cobh now that the ship should really be making an overnight call to make the most of all that there is to see and do.”