Distances in Cork City

the beer revolu

Moving on from another thread where some off topic discussion got a bit personal, I decided to create this thread. It is not meant as a dig at any other poster.

Over the years (long before Boards.ie) I've noticed that many Cork people have strange perceptions of what they consider to be "a bit out of town" or "not very central". These ideas seem to be based on the idea that leaving the central Island makes places seem further away than they actually are and certain parts of our tiny city centre suffer as a result. I always remember a friend stating that he thought Star Anise on Bridge Street was a bit too far out of town to do well - I was flabbergasted.

So, I took to Google Earth and did some measuring between various points in the city centre. I think some people will be surprised at the results.

Which is further? :

Bottom of York Hill on Mc Curtain Street To The Statue on St Patrick's Street

460 Meters

or

The Statue on St. Patrick's Street To Daunt's Square

460 Meters

Butter Museum in Shandon To Penny's on St. Patrick's Street

660 Meters

or

Milano on Oliver Plunkett Street To The Oval Bar on Tuckey Street

620 Meters

Tom Barry's Pub on Barrack Street To The Fountain on Grand Parade

530 Meters

or

Crane Lane Theatre on Phoenix Street To The Roundy bar on Castle Street

630 Meters

I've used what look to me to be the shortest walking route for each one.

Any surprises there??

Our city centre is really compact and it is all accessible very quickly on foot - people just don't seem to realise that.

pwurple

You're right of course, Cork is very compact, and it's something to be shouted from the rooftops.

However, you've missed a teensy few issues in your comparisons.

Hills. It's flat as a pancake from pana to the grand parade and down the south mall. Barrack street and McCurtain street are up hill. Not massive hills, but still up hills. Or worse, if you're a girl in some towering heels... back down the bloody hill.

Bridges. You've a nice bit of shelter in between the buildings along oliver plunkett street, so you can barhop your way along there nicely without getting wet.

So it's more like this leaving the island



Vs this, staying put.

KCAccidental

I remember when Fred Zeppelins moved to Douglas St for a couple of years. It was deemed 'too far out' early on and the place tanked. I do think crossing the river in inclement weather does put people off.

the beer revolu

You'd swear it rained every day of the year!!

While it is a pull up Barrack Street, alright surely no one would consider Bridge Street a hill of any consequence at all.

I'm from Cork but I think Cork people are just weird when it comes to their perception of the city.
Maybe we need a shopping centre / mall type of complex with bars and restaurants so people could buzz from bar to bar to restaurant to night club without ever having to go outside - with a covered taxi rank, of course!

Faith

As pwurple says, the hills have a lot to do with it. It changes your perception a lot, especially when you're wearing shoes that aren't great for walking in. It's not distance or time so much as effort required. Also, there's relativity to take into account. Because Cork is so compact, a 10 minute walk seems quite far, whereas in Dublin, it might seem like nothing.

Ludo

Personally I feel it is a psychological barrier to crossing the river. Once you are in the "centre" then you don't cross a river til you are heading home. Anything across the river is outside town and not considered unless there is a specific reason to go there.

bee06

Completely agree about the weather. Crossing Patrick's Bridge on a cold, rainy night is not fun.

Also the shoe issue, I have no problem venturing further afield in my runners but add heels to the equation and my acceptable radius stinks dramatically.

the beer revolu

bee06 wrote: »

Completely agree about the weather. Crossing Patrick's Bridge on a cold, rainy night is not fun.

Also the shoe issue, I have no problem venturing further afield in my runners but add heels to the equation and my acceptable radius stinks dramatically.

My whole point is that these places are not further afield - only psychologically.
It takes about 30 seconds to cross Patrick's bridge! And it only rains sometimes.
I had no idea people were so delicate.

I accept that Barrack Street is a steep hill but Bridge Street is about 20 meters long and a mere incline. I'm not expecting people to go marching up Shandon Street or Barrack Street on a night out but McCurtain Street? Really?

I'm sure your radius doesn't stink dramatically!

pwurple

And when it's not pissing rain, up I go.

So what.

mordeith

I'm not from Cork but have worked there for 10 years. I think the issue is more that because Cork is so full of small streets, alleys and a bendy main street (which is what gives it its character) you can rarely see your destination if it's any bit distant. Whereas in Limerick where I'm from, which while the block layout is far less interesting than Cork, a 10 minute walk might only involve two straight streets and one corner.

bee06

the beer revolu wrote: »

I'm sure your radius doesn't stink dramatically!

Bloody auto correct!

leahyl

the beer revolu wrote: »

My whole point is that these places are not further afield - only psychologically.
It takes about 30 seconds to cross Patrick's bridge! And it only rains sometimes.
I had no idea people were so delicate.

I accept that Barrack Street is a steep hill but Bridge Street is about 20 meters long and a mere incline. I'm not expecting people to go marching up Shandon Street or Barrack Street on a night out but McCurtain Street? Really?

I'm sure your radius doesn't stink dramatically!

Not delicate, just not everybody has the same opinion as you. It's a completely different kettle of fish if you're a woman who likes to wear heels on a night out and generally sticks to the central island and when it's bucketing down would prefer to stick to pubs which are nearer each other. Apart from the weather, I wouldn't not go to the white rabbit because of the location, but I would be more inclined to go there more often if it was located elsewhere.

Jessme

I completely agree that Cork is a compact city, which is fantastic...but I also wholeheartedly agree that if you are on a night out in your finery plus heels then the easiest thing to do is to stay in the very centre i.e. the flatter, more sheltered streets. It's difficult to walk far or fast in heels! And another thing, if you've gone and had your hair blowdryed or styled then believe me you don't want to be walking over rainy windswept bridges and having 'the hurr' all messed up :-)
This of course applies to those occasions when you go out to look your best, and generally want to bar hop and enjoy the buzz around the 'city centre', where most people are going to be.
If I just want to go for a bite to eat then I'll dress down more and not have quite as high a heel on, and then I'm more than happy to extend my radius and go to McCurtain Street, the quays etc.
Or if it's during the day to go and have lunch etc. then the same applies - that 'distance' that seems huge at night disappears.
It's not all black and white.

the beer revolu

I'm still curious if anyone was surprised at the actual distances I posted up.

I guess I live in a very, very different world to the ladies on this forum.
(no, I'm not single and yes, I have lots of female friends)

I genuinely didn't realise that it was such a gender thing. All the responses have been from women here, as far as I can see. I've noticed the attitude I'm highlighting in men too.

Balmed Out

I guessed most fairly accurately, thought the butter museum to pennys would be longer and the crane lane to roundy would be shorter.

Theres more business etc on the island and so less footfall off it which I imagine is where youre friend was coming from

Cool_CM

The only place that's remotely far to walk to in the pissing rain is the Franciscan Well. I just measured the walk from where I used to hop off the bus to the door as being 1.22km. Then the bus station is 1.09km away. No wonder I used to always miss that last bus home