From Marina to The Lough... here are my highlights of a summer in Cork

“HOW was your summer?” will be a question asked at school gates around the country this week.

Irish parents are reluctant to boast. It is rare you will hear “We had the absolute best summer ever”. Common sardonic responses include “Long!,” “Hectic” and “The weather was shocking”.

Yes, there was a lot of rain, but there were plenty of small things to be grateful for too.

The Weather

The rain was a constant topic of conversation for Summer, 2023. The rainfall radar was a vital piece of summer kit to squeeze in trips to a park or the beach between deluges, but I would rather worry about the inconvenience of trying to get washing dried than worry about the long-term damage of smoke inhalation from nearby wildfires.

Relatives in North America have been affected by wildfire smoke and oppressive heat domes this summer and were only too delighted to experience Irish drizzle while home.

There were plenty of European tourists in the city centre and passenger numbers arriving at Cork Airport are back up to pre-pandemic levels. Many of these visitors are undoubtedly coming to escape the endless heat of the Mediterranean summer.

Around Ireland, there were extreme rain events that caused flooding, and farmers are not happy, but if you look around the world at the extreme weather events of Summer 2023, we have got to be grateful overall for our mild Irish summer.

The frightening thing is that if global heating continues, we will look back at the summer of ’23 as a benign summer we would all happily return to.

Marina Park

When the sun did shine, Marina Park was a great destination.

Scooting and cycling is a dream on the billiard table flat paving. The water fountain is fun for all ages and a perfect example of how kids are happiest playing with water.

Do not expect your kids to be able to resist getting close to the water - bring a towel and change of clothes and let them get soaked.

The addition of MacCurtain Street’s 5 Points café serving coffee and bagels is very welcome.

Occupied children + decent coffee for parents means everyone is happy. Oh, and there’s even beach volleyball!

The gorgeous sandy court was incongruous in the shadow of Páirc Uí Chaoímh, and even though we didn’t know the rules, we managed to pretend to play a game.

A little further along the Marina, a pile of new hillside slides on the Blackrock to Passage West Greenway is great for little daredevils. I advise looking elsewhere as your kids careen down the super-sized slides.

All-Ireland Champions

It was such a nice feeling to see a homecoming on South Mall to celebrate the achievement of an impressive Cork team bringing back All-Ireland silverware after a convincing Croke Park win.

My kids were beyond excited to ask the players to sign their hurleys and get a photo with the cup.

Despite the August evening rain, everyone was in high spirits to welcome the Cork camogie team home but the number of supporters who turned out were low.

I regret not making the trip to Dublin to cheer the Cork team on because, let’s face it, when else will my kids get a chance to see Cork in an All-Ireland final at Croke Park?

Hard to believe it is 18 years since the Liam MacCarthy cup came to the People’s Republic of Cork. If the senior hurling team ever manage to vanquish the likes of Limerick and Kilkenny again, there would be a measurable seismic shift on South Mall as throngs turn out for a much-anticipated homecoming.

It’s time to give the Cork camogie team as much adoration and admiration as their male counterparts. 

Five-time All-Ireland winning captain Amy O’Connor rightfully received the Women’s Player of the Month Award last week and was keen to see camogie get greater promotion.

Next summer let’s get behind our camogie players as much as we cheer for the hurlers.

Fishing at the Lough

Pitching a tent near the No. 214 bus stop in the hopes of catching an elusive carp may not be your idea of fun, but there are anglers from around the country who think an overnight stint at The Lough is an ideal summer outing.

It is entertaining to watch them unload their extensive camping paraphernalia, as if they are going on a survivalist expedition, when they could pop over to SuperValu for a bottle of milk they forgot.

The virus that plagued the lake the last few years has resolved, and fish stocks are back, and throughout the summer the place was busy with fishermen and boys (it seems to be mainly a manly pursuit) of all levels of aptitude.

It was amusing to watch well equipped anglers with fish-finders having less success than boys with cans of sweetcorn and freshly bought maggots from T.W. Murray’s.

In an era of devices and constant technological stimulation it was heartening to see the Lough regularly dotted with young fellas engaging in the patient act of fishing.

The summer of ’23 may not have had great weather, but there was plenty to appreciate and, who knows, an Indian summer might still lie ahead.

After the recent heartbreaking tragedies involving young people, I think most parents will be grateful to get back to the September routine with their children simply safe and sound.