I have an opportunity to study abroad in the Spring of '07. Can someone tell me what Cork, Ireland and the surrounding area is like? Also, the University of Cork, how is it? How is the area for a runner (any good trails near the campus, etc?) Obviously they don't have a team, but are there clubs in the area I could compete for? Any information is helpful!
I took an opportunity to study in Ireland when I was in college. It was one of the best things I have ever done. I missed my junior year of track but it was well worth it.
In another story my team lost their conference meet by 6 points that year. I scored 9 as a sophomore.
I wasn't in Cork but visited several times. Its a very nice town. Nice countryside for running. The Irish hills are great. As a bonus Cork is home to Murphy's Stout, which is like Guinness but better.
Cork, along with pretty much all of sothwestern Ireland, is absolutely beautiful. Plenty of hills, beaches and nature to be found. The weather is relatively balmy compared with the rest of the country and pretty ideal for a runner. I say go for it.
Studied in Connemara [west coast of Ireland] for a semester, and like the above, it was the bomb. Absolutely beautiful surroundings, wonderful people and just an overall great time. If you can swing it, go for it and I promise, it'll be the best thing you do.
One of my friends did some time (pun?) in Cork studying at UCC, and I visited her for a while. For running, my guess is that it's awesome, good hills, decent running weather (compared to the mid-west, at least), good beer. A few drawbacks, though. Most of the people there aren't very friendly--don't expect many people to talk to you at all, and in addition, the Cork accent is barely understandible. The city also the feel of a working-class place where there isn't any work.
The "Cork skirt," on the other hand, is a something to remember.
I studied on the west coast of Ireland and visited Cork only for a night. Didnt seem as nice as Galway. Running in Ireland can be nasty for running in Jan/Feb due to wind, rain and hail. Best to run in the morning since running when the sun goes down can be hazardous to your health on those roads.
Studied in Galway, visited Cork. The roads are terrible for running. They're narrow and you can't often run on the side because it's so common for all the property to be surrounded by dry-stack walls. I'm sure there are trails but I found in Galway that the trails were fairly short. I ended up doing some weird hiking/running over open land a lot because I got so tired of the same runs.
Cork the city is great. Not as diverse as Galway but a lot of fun. I don't know what they guy was talking about when he said the people weren't nice. I thought they were phenomenal. Murphy's stout is fair but clearly inferior to Guinness. There's a reason they don't really drink it elsewhere in the country. Jazz fest in the fall is not to be missed although the Oyster fest in Galway is better. If you're there in the winter expect rain, very early sunset, wind, and cold weather. Pretty nasty actually.
Thanks for the info. Is anyone certain if there are many trails in the area?