Cork

Cork, a maritime county in Munster, the south-most and largest of the Irish counties. Greatest length from east to west, 110 miles; greatest breadth, 70; average, 34. Area, 2890 sq. miles. Cork is hilly, with great variety of surface. The west part is rocky, mountainous, wild and boggy; the east and south, rich, fertile, and picturesque. The ranges run east and west, except the Boghra Mountains, between the Lee and Blackwater. The coast is bold and rocky, and from its indentations, 250 miles long; the bays, which run 3 to 25 miles inland, admitting large vessels. The chief bays are Bantry, Dunmanus, Baltimore, Glandore, Clonakilty, Kinsale, Cork Harbour, and Youghal. There are many isles off the coast, including Cape Clear Island, which lies in 51° 25' N. lat., and 9° 30' W. long., and, with the exception of a rock 4 miles to the SSW., is the southmost point in Ireland. In the west, Cork is divided from Kerry by a range of Silurian clay-slate running north-east and north, the chief points being 1200 to 2240 feet high. This range sends offshoots to the east, which divide the county into the parallel basins of the three chief rivers of Cork, the Blackwater, Lee, and Bandon: the lower parts of these basins are well cultivated and productive. The Lower Carboniferous limestone forms the largest lowland tracts and valleys of the county. Part of the Munster coalfield occupies 400 sq. m. in the north-west. Cork has many small lakes in the west. One of these lies at the source of the Lee, amid wild, picturesque scenery, with the ruins of a chapel on an islet frequented by pilgrims. The chief mineral productions are coal and iron, copper, barytes, limestone, fine dark-gray and also red marble rich in fossil shells, fullers' earth, brick-clay, marl. There is a thermal magnesian spring at Mallow. The climate is moist, but genial. The soils are calcareous, loamy, and moory. The dairies are extensive, and Cork butter stands in high estimation. The cattle are small in size, but yield large quantities of milk. Of the total area, about 30 per cent. is under crops. The chief manufactures are leather, tweed, whisky, porter; and the chief exports provisions. Pop. (1841) 854,118; (1851) 653,180; (1871) 517,076; (1881) 495,607; (1891) 436,432, of whom 90 per cent. are Catholics. Formerly Cork county sent two members to parliament, besides two for the city, and four for minor boroughs. Since 1885 the county returns seven members, the city two; and Bandon, Mallow, Kinsale, and Youghal have been absorbed in the county. The antiquities of Cork are stone circles and altars, two round towers, circular earthworks or raths; ruins of abbeys and churches, chiefly built by descendants of the English invaders under Henry II.; and many ancient castles or square towers.