Newmarket combines distinctive architectural history with opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, traditional music and local meals. The Video Library is a former national school dating from 1877; Island Wood offers opportunities for walking and fishing. When planning, you can cater to a range of interests rather than focusing your stay on a single theme.

Newmarket’s Buildings and History

The Video Library in Newmarket has a T-shaped floor plan. It consists of a three-bay main building and a four-bay section set at right angles to it. These figures describe the building’s layout in more detail: the main building has three bays, and the adjoining section has four. The building played an important role in the region’s educational and social history.

Other historical connections extend beyond architecture. John Philpot Curran was born in Newmarket. West of the town, a former ford crossed the River Dalua; it was part of one of the main routes from Cork to Kerry. The building’s history, a local birthplace and a former river crossing thus offer different ways to explore the town’s past.

Walks, Fishing and Music

Island Wood offers opportunities for walking and fishing. If you plan to spend time there, check the routes and access conditions before your visit. You should also check whether a permit is required for fishing. This lets you plan according to the activity in question, without assuming that the same conditions apply to walking and fishing.

The Monday Night Music Session is an open event where you can play or listen to traditional music from the region. It offers a different kind of activity from a walk or a visit to the water: you can listen or make music yourself. If you want to include the session in your plans, check before travelling whether it will take place and continue during your stay.

Breakfast, Lunch and Gluten-Free Food

The Fairview in Newmarket serves breakfast and lunch. It also offers a wide selection of gluten-free food. This can be a helpful reference when planning meals; however, before travelling, check whether The Fairview is currently open and which gluten-free dishes are on the menu.

Cork as a Wider Travel Destination

Those also considering Cork as a wider travel destination will find further historical and scenic attractions there. Barryscourt Castle was built as an Irish tower house between 1392 and 1420. Charles Fort was built between 1677 and 1682 to protect the town and harbour of Kinsale. The fort’s walls and ramparts offer views over the harbour. The two sites represent different aspects of Cork’s architectural and military history.

Gardens are also part of the wider region’s attractions: Fota Arboretum covers 11 hectares and is home to rare, delicate trees and shrubs that grow outdoors. Fota’s gardens also include an ornamental pond, formal pleasure gardens, an orangery and a sun temple. These garden features are part of the wider Cork destination, not Newmarket.

At Mizen Head, the visitor centre covers the region’s geology and the Fastnet Rescue Tide Clock; the exhibits may change. Visitors can cross the arched bridge there. Below the bridge, seals, kittiwakes, gannets and jackdaws may be seen, although sightings are not guaranteed. Alongside buildings and gardens, Cork therefore also offers a coastal experience featuring a bridge, an exhibition and the possibility of wildlife watching.

Discover more destinations: Páirc Na Fána, Carrigboy, Eyeries, Cork, Charleville, Millstreet, Kinsale, Ardgroom.

Go to the wider travel overview: Cork.