Cork City’s most significant landmark

The Church of St Anne is the oldest church in continuous use and one of the most recognized landmarks in Cork City. This district is known as Shandon which translates to mean “old fort”. The original church that stood here was dedicated to St. Mary and is mentioned in the decretals of Pope Innocent III in 1199. This was destroyed during the Siege of Cork in 1690 and a new church was built in 1693. This was quickly deemed too small due to the growing population and the present church was completed in 1726. It was built using red sandstone from the original Shandon Castle and limestone from the derelict Franciscan Abbey. Some sources attribute this connection to the red & white colors that represent the city. The church is noted for its 8 bells, immortalized in the song “The Bells of Shandon” by Francis Sylvester. Its weather vane is in the form of a salmon, representing the fishing industry on the River Lee. The clock is known to Corkonians as “The Four-Faced Liar” because, depending on the angle of the viewer, and the effects of wind the time may not appear to correspond perfectly on each face! Visitors can now climb to the first floor and ring the bells themselves.