My Weekend: Cork has the best pubs and the best vibe!

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

Hey! My name’s Gennaro. I am originally from Puglia, a sunny region in the south of Italy, but I’ve been living in Cork city for the last year and a half. I am now working with start-ups and the community at Republic of Work. We support start-ups in their journey from developing their idea to raising a round.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

I love a good pint with friends! Nothing too hectic but Cork has the best pubs and the best vibe! A nice dinner later on would be a nice way to wrap up the night!

Lie-ins or up with the lark.. which is it for you?

I definitely get most of my energy in the evening and at night! Thankfully, my job requires me to do late shifts so I can allow myself to sleep in one time in the week! It’s the best way to recharge.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

It does sometimes. Especially when we have a major event happening at the beginning of the following week. Sometimes it’s just so hard not to check your emails on a Saturday. I find that spending time hiking or strolling around my neighbourhood (shout-out to Turner’s Cross!) really helps me to unwind and be present.

If money was no object, where would you head to on a weekend city break?

I won’t lie, probably to Italy. Living in Ireland is incredible and I would never leave, but spending quality time with long-time friends and family is definitely something I miss.

Closer to home, is there some place you like to head to recharge the batteries?

Fitzgerald Park is a nice one, even UCC. The campus is beautiful and brings back happy memories of when I used to study there. Except there’s no anxiety for upcoming exams and deadlines.

Do you like to catch up with family/friends at the weekend?

I do! Many of my friends and most of my family members live scattered around Italy and Europe so I usually take some time on the weekends to catch up with them. It can be as simple as sending a short text and asking ‘how are you’?

Do you get to indulge any hobbies? Even as a spectator?

I enjoy hiking and documenting the trip with photos and videos. I also take salsa classes weekly and I take part in language exchange meetings pretty often, mostly to become better at speaking Spanish.

Entertain or be entertained? If it’s the latter do you have a signature dish?

It depends on my mood, but usually entertain. I love cooking for people and having people over for dinner. A signature dish would be carbonara for sure, but made the Italian way!

We have so many places to eat out in Cork — where are your go-to spots for coffee/ lunch/special meal?

Alchemy is always a good spot for a comforting cup of tea or coffee. And there’s plenty of places to eat delicious food here in Cork! I’d go to Son of a Bun for a burger, I also love Cafe Mexicana, Koto, and Bella Napoli.

Sunday night comes around too fast.. how do you normally spend it?

It really depends, if I spent the day out and about then I usually take some time to relax and watch a movie. If I didn’t, then clubbing.

What time does your alarm clock go off on Monday morning?

Late, usually. At Republic of Work, we have flexible hours so I get to start and finish late some days of the week. I would love to tell you that I still wake up early to be super-productive but I honestly think I never got up before 9.30 on a Monday.