Best and Worst Towns in County Cork

RoyMcC · 02-11-2008 10:27pm

KathleenF wrote: »

Reasons - well the vibe there varies between unremittingly negative and non-existent, the town is a glorified drinking den, and bar the schools and local Centra/Super Valu, there is v little employment. Only thing to enliven the town is the local drinking festival (as if an excuse was needed) in August. A lot of work has been done with regard to festivals and the like, but IMO, it's the attitude of the locals that is the deciding factor. TBH, I'm not knocking it maliciously but the majority of the locals have such a low opinion of the place, it seems to me the epitome of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Hence my opinion.

Fair enough. you are probably spot on. I only have golden memories from a long-lost era. But hold on about the drinking festival - Ballabuih *spelling, blushes* is a celebration of the return of all Dohenies to their native town. The drinking is incidental...

Seinas · 03-11-2008 4:56pm

Newmarket is nice... as is Clonakilty

worst would be Buttevant!

Fud Duddy · 03-11-2008 8:31pm

Buttevant is a Grand Ol' town, but nice ain't wonderful.

rebel girl 15 · 13-11-2008 1:42am

Mallow - one of the worst places for traffic, and every time I come down the Cork road into it, the air in the car gets that bit colder and it starts to rain. All the work being done with the flood reflef scheme, raising a part of the road that never gets flooded, digging in the wrong side of the town. Other than that, I don't mind living near there.

barnicles · 16-11-2008 2:24pm

Ballydesmond and boherbue i like but i'm obviously biased:)

life_is_music · 16-11-2008 3:28pm

viota wrote: »

Fermoy's a hole, full of scumbags.
Best place i suppose i think is cork city

You've clearly never been to Mitchelstown!!!

TheDriver · 17-11-2008 9:36pm

barnicles wrote: »

Ballydesmond and boherbue i like but i'm obviously biased:)

You may as well include Kiskeam in that list!!!

barnicles · 17-11-2008 10:56pm

Why?

AOMURCHU · 01-12-2008 10:21pm

just saw this thread and was interested, having worked and lived in many places in cork. went to school in bandon for about 3 years and it was a horrible place, with a lot scumbags, grey boring looking buildings and rough pubs (always get the feeling a fight is about to break out), good for shopping though. Spent a couple of weeks in Dunmanway and i think it is just too far from cork city and is a typical landlocked town, you'll find them all over the country. Macroom is the same. Kinsale seems to be everybodys favorite and i agree, it has the best food and setting of any town in cork and is near the city, the airport, the sea. does have a few scumbags (mainly found in Armada pub) but nowhere on the scale of bandon, only 20 mins away. Its might not be the friendliest but between itself and clon it scores the highest all round.

Rowley Birkin QC · 01-12-2008 10:38pm

Seriously wtf is with this Mitchelstown scumbag thing?! It's not that bad. There is a generation coming up at the moment that are right little shítes but overall it's not the worst.

Mallow has a ridiculous amount of scummers there for the size of the town.

My opinion of Buttevant is based largely on this documentary I saw a few years back. Seems to have changed a lot from when I used to play football there.:p:p

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ddWlNQrUNI

KnifeWRENCH · 03-12-2008 2:40pm

bigkev49 wrote: »

Seriously wtf is with this Mitchelstown scumbag thing?! It's not that bad. There is a generation coming up at the moment that are right little shítes but overall it's not the worst.

Mallow has a ridiculous amount of scummers there for the size of the town.

Nope, have to seriously disagree there. Mallow is a lot bigger than Mitchelstown and has a similar number of scumbags. Actually, I'd say Mallow has less.
But I say Mallow and Mitchelstown should put aside their differences and focus on the common enemy - FERMOY. :mad::P

segaBOY · 08-12-2008 6:02pm

Zonda999 wrote: »

Bandon is a nice town IMO.I think macroom is the worst town in county cork

Macroom's not all that bad!! People are friendly there and not a bad old town to have a few drinks in!! Good for shopping too with a Dunnes, Lidl, supervalu and nice butchers near by imo

RoyMcC · 07-01-2009 5:16pm

Seinas wrote: »

Newmarket is nice... as is Clonakilty

worst would be Buttevant!

Just before this thread falls off page 1

I inadvertantly drove through Buttevant over Christmas. Certainly from the inside of a car it appears to be lacking in any civic pride, not much brightness, bit of a border town feel. Maybe it has redeeming features...

And my opinion of Bandon has risen following the Bandon 5 race on the 28th which was centered around the Old Still pub with great hospitality shown. But of course that was a fleeting visit...

samsemtex · 04-02-2009 3:26am

square_igloo wrote: »

Nope, have to seriously disagree there. Mallow is a lot bigger than Mitchelstown and has a similar number of scumbags. Actually, I'd say Mallow has less.
But I say Mallow and Mitchelstown should put aside their differences and focus on the common enemy - FERMOY. :mad::P

Im sorry but Mitchelstown does not have that many scumbags. There is rarely any crime worth mentioning there and overall its very quiet. There are a few scumbags in Mikos and Willie Andies on saturday nights but even they are relatively harmless. It does seem to have a scumbag reputation for some reason though. It has fights on a saturday night occasionally but in these times what town doesnt?

Its not really a town but Watergrasshill has to be the ****iest place in Cork. Its so run down and the road through it is the roughest ive ever been on.

partyguinness · 06-02-2009 2:55pm

Cobh is some dump.

Took the g/friend there a few months back for a Sunday drive and I ended up apologising for bringing her there..very embarassed.

TBH most market towns are ****e..full of either school kids, scumbags or old biddes.

dh0661 · 08-02-2009 1:49am

RoyMcC wrote: »

Just before this thread falls off page 1 I inadvertantly drove through Buttevant over Christmas. Certainly from the inside of a car it appears to be lacking in any civic pride, not much brightness, bit of a border town feel. Maybe it has redeeming features

Go to the horse fair - last week of June I think. That's when the town celebrates

corkhero · 08-02-2009 8:32pm

I had the "pleasure" of having to come through buttevant during that horse fair.

Largest gathering ive ever seen of members of the traveller community.

Took ages to get through it.

Mitchelstown and Midleton are both depressing towns.

Best was prob clon.

jaymack · 08-02-2009 8:50pm

Wow - as some one who grew up in County Cork, this is a very interesting thread. My own thoughts... well I'll base this on following my mother around shops with I was a kid, nights out when I was a teenager and driving around now as a visiting tourist from The Pale(!).

Skibb: Good shops - esp Fields (sliced pan!), good pubs and a nice place. Traffic can be bad, but the bypass has really helped.
Bantry: Sorry, a rough place when I was younger, saw lots of fights outside the Westlodge between a certain set of locals and anyone who came to visit for a night out! However seems a brighter place now when I drive through.
Clon: a nice place with nice pubs and good shops; near lots of nice beaches.
Schull: I really like this place; can get a bit crowded during the summer, but some people go there for that.
(While I am on small villages) Crookhaven: Billy Sull's for a pint on a warm summer night - looking at the sea and relaxing - that would be nice!
(And while out that way): Keep Schull / Skibb / Bantry Clean - dump your rubblish in Goleen! Oh and Ballydehob does exist - people in Dublin won't believe me!
Bandon: Sorry again - does seem to be a rough place - but they have made a huge effort to get more shops in the last few years.
Kinsale: Yeah, it does have it all with pubs etc. But gets crowded in the summer... see Schull above.
Dunmanway: I used to think it was quite okay, but stopped there a few years ago for lunch - it seemed to be the same as when I was there as a kid - which is bad in that it was like the 1980's; quite empty and dull - sorry again.
Glengarriff: Kind of like a piece of Kerry that has come to Cork! Shops selling lace, house buggy rides and so on.
Kanturk: Actually I found it very nice on a trip there a few years ago.

I could go on, but dinner is ready!

Wishbone Ash · 08-02-2009 9:18pm

Mitchelstown has become depressing looking over the past couple of years. I suppose that's connected with the factory closures and bypass. Speaking as a total outsider, I used to like it but it seems to be getting increasingly desolate. Even the large co-op shop opposite the square used to be one of the best shops in the country but it's become very mediocre now. I find it incredible that it has retained four filling stations.

hey12345 · 09-02-2009 3:44pm

shoegirl wrote: »

I've lived in a few towns around the place, including 3 in a couple of different towns with a girl from Buttevant. I agree Buttevant is not great but I do think there is worse, and it gets noticed because its on the main road. Doneraile, Rathcormac and "Little Island" are pretty horrible too. Problem with Buttevant is being on the main road AND a long way from anywhere.

Mallow as a town has really picked up, it was horrendous when I moved here first. Midleton likewise. Youghal LOOKS nice but to me its a bit dull. Castlemartyr has picked up a bit.

My personal pet hate is Rathcormac. I lived there for a year and it was the most miserable year of my life. I hated it with a vengence then and even more now. Fermoy I started to like because I could escape there from Rathcormac. It was the most horrible place I've ever lived in, anywhere. The Spar is about the most exciting thing in town.

Kinsale I find nice to visit but more than a bit pretentious.

i'm sorry but rathcormac isn't that bad and its a villege so what more were you especting other than a few shops :mad:

Rowley Birkin QC · 09-02-2009 4:21pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Mitchelstown has become depressing looking over the past couple of years. I suppose that's connected with the factory closures and bypass. Speaking as a total outsider, I used to like it but it seems to be getting increasingly desolate. Even the large co-op shop opposite the square used to be one of the best shops in the country but it's become very mediocre now. I find it incredible that it has retained four filling stations.

5 filling stations actually, 6 if you include the petrol pumps in the middle of the town.

You're right though, seems incredible that they all have a market. Just wondering why do you find the place so desolate?

Fud Duddy · 10-02-2009 1:56am

Driving into Mitchelstown from the Fermoy side was always a beautiful picture, especially with the snow capped Galtees as a backdrop. But now what have our wonderful planners obstructed this lovely vista with but a big ugly medical centre.
Since then I've heard that the resident chemist in the new big ugly and badly positioned medical centre is to go to Boots. That should help close down another few local businesses.
I seriously hope that the guy that designed it finds himself unemployed really soon, or beauty beware.

Rowley Birkin QC · 10-02-2009 2:33am

Fud Duddy wrote: »

Driving into Mitchelstown from the Fermoy side was always a beautiful picture, especially with the snow capped Galtees as a backdrop. But now what have our wonderful planners obstructed this lovely vista with but a big ugly medical centre.
Since then I've heard that the resident chemist in the new big ugly and badly positioned medical centre is to go to Boots. That should help close down another few local businesses.
I seriously hope that the guy that designed it finds himself unemployed really soon, or beauty beware.

The resident chemist is Boots. About the only accurate piece of information in your post.

The Galtees are still more than visible from both that approach and Upper Cork St., the medical centre has provided an infrastructural and social asset to the town.

As for it being ugly, that is entirely subjective. Also, the development did not ruin the view but merely changed it.

Fud Duddy · 10-02-2009 7:07pm

Well Kev that is my opinion and you're entitled to yours.
In response to your post, I think that medical care in Mitchelstown was already catered for between various doctors surgeries and chemists. I wonder what it cost to build that monster and how better could this money have been put to work elsewhere in the town.
To my mind building that eyesore where they did was a decision of the aesthetically bankrupt. But there you go, more money than taste.

Rowley Birkin QC · 10-02-2009 7:38pm

Fud Duddy wrote: »

Well Kev that is my opinion and you're entitled to yours.
In response to your post, I think that medical care in Mitchelstown was already catered for between various doctors surgeries and chemists. I wonder what it cost to build that monster and how better could this money have been put to work elsewhere in the town.
To my mind building that eyesore where they did was a decision of the aesthetically bankrupt. But there you go, more money than taste.

It's a private enterprise by the doctors of the town, in no way funded by public money so your comment is redundant.

The main advantage of it is that all the doctors are in one purposely designed building rather than scattered around the town, they will be able to provide more advanced services (there are plans to provide x-ray facilities, mini laboratory, minor surgical procedures etc.)

I am more concerned with the facility than the look of the building. Hopefully it will end the situation where people from the town without transport have to book taxis etc. to get to their medical appointments in Cork/Mallow. AFAIK the location is edge of town centre.

Can I ask where you would prefer to see this centre located or are you proposed to the principle of the centre?

samsemtex · 12-02-2009 3:12am

bigkev49 wrote: »

It's a private enterprise by the doctors of the town, in no way funded by public money so your comment is redundant.

The main advantage of it is that all the doctors are in one purposely designed building rather than scattered around the town, they will be able to provide more advanced services (there are plans to provide x-ray facilities, mini laboratory, minor surgical procedures etc.)

I am more concerned with the facility than the look of the building. Hopefully it will end the situation where people from the town without transport have to book taxis etc. to get to their medical appointments in Cork/Mallow. AFAIK the location is edge of town centre.

Can I ask where you would prefer to see this centre located or are you proposed to the principle of the centre?

Well said. I actually like the look of the building as well and im sure it will come as a welcome relief to people of North Cork, South Tipp and South Limerick that they wont have to drive to Mallow or Cork for X-rays and have to wait for hours in an A&E for something that can be done in the medical centre.

Mitchelstown's main problem imo is the lack of a town council. How many other towns of that size are relying on the county council to make all their decisions? Its actually a disgrace that there is no town council there to look after the towns interests properly. Having the completely incompetent O'Keefes as the local TDs and councillors does not help matters either.

Ironé · 18-02-2009 3:39pm

Seinas wrote: »

Newmarket is nice... as is Clonakilty

worst would be Buttevant!

100% agree! Newmarket is a great spot!

Not mad about Cobh or Kinsale.

tee. · 11-03-2009 12:52am

Ah, Mitchelstown is grand.
People only think there's loadsa scumbags because these "scumbags" have nowhere to go in the town except the main street in full view of everyone!:pac:
Come for the music festival, then ye'll change your mind!;)

Kristopherus · 11-03-2009 11:50pm

bigkev49 wrote: »

It's a private enterprise by the doctors of the town, in no way funded by public money so your comment is redundant.

The main advantage of it is that all the doctors are in one purposely designed building rather than scattered around the town, they will be able to provide more advanced services (there are plans to provide x-ray facilities, mini laboratory, minor surgical procedures etc.)

I am more concerned with the facility than the look of the building. Hopefully it will end the situation where people from the town without transport have to book taxis etc. to get to their medical appointments in Cork/Mallow. AFAIK the location is edge of town centre.

Can I ask where you would prefer to see this centre located or are you proposed to the principle of the centre?

Incorrect re public funding. The docs get a big fat grant from HSE. And also for your info, they get subsidies from the HSE to pay their staff, nurse, sec. etc.

sitout · 11-03-2009 11:52pm

brucer24! wrote: »

worst- has to be buttevant.

So so true by a million miles , the place takes pride in having a knacker festival every year!

joulter · 12-03-2009 12:08am

Best:

Rosscarbery
Clon
Kinsale
Bantry
Union Hall (not really a town though i suppose)

Worst:

Buttevant...hasnt changed in 40 years
Charleville: dull town with nothin to do..plenty of "colourful" characters there though!
Rathcormac...a real boomtime disaster area.massive overdevelopment and nothing to do there
Dunmanway = Mundaneway again a dull town with nothing to do

sparklepants · 12-03-2009 5:23pm

joulter wrote: »

Worst:

Buttevant...hasnt changed in 40 years

"AmeriCo's pizzAria" wasn't there 40 years ago. People knew how to spell the names of their shops back then!

RoyMcC · 12-03-2009 6:05pm

joulter wrote: »

Dunmanway = Mundaneway again a dull town with nothing to do

C'mon, the Broadway Cinema's been there for more than 40 years, and you haven't found it?

overmantle · 19-03-2009 12:33am

It depends on the time of the year. Some places are great in summer but as dead as a dodo in winter.

overmantle · 19-03-2009 12:35am

Kinsale seems to be more of an all year round town. Schull is seasonal and Cloakilty to a lesser extent. At the risk of offending anyone, I won't name the town I think is the worst but it has been mentioned already by somebodyelse on this thread.

sitout · 24-03-2009 2:28pm

[QUOTE=joulter;5938120

Worst:

Buttevant...hasnt changed in 40 year[/QUOTE]

I'm afraid your wrong here my friend , it has changed . Its changed for the worst. They should coax all the inbred townsfolk, with their webbed feet out of the town, with the promise of a bowl of cornflakes, and while they are out munching away to their hearts delight , a few helicopters should fly over this stinking septic pit and drop a bomb on it! We could then send the townsfolk to Chernobyl where they would feel right at home , if not a little outclassed!
Good God i dont mean to be cruel but holy Fukc, there is not one redeeming feature about this place , nothing to be proud of , even the inhabitants, who are all related(dont ask) hate the place. After years and years of breeding within the confines of their own outhouses , they just dont have the brains to do anything about it! Its a sad harsh reality but Buttervant is the brown speckle on the otherwise brilliant white underpants that is North Cork!!!!!:eek:

dh0661 · 24-03-2009 8:02pm

sitout wrote: »

Buttervant is the brown speckle on the otherwise brilliant white underpants that is North Cork!!!!!:eek:

:eek: - LOL

hairymick · 09-04-2009 2:22pm

No ones mentioned Castletownbere.Great scenery down there as indeed in the whole Beara peninsula.

KeyLimePie · 17-04-2009 3:00am

jaymack wrote: »

Kanturk: Actually I found it very nice on a trip there a few years ago.

I regret to inform you that kanturk has now become a knacker town

i moved from there 5 years ago and it's changed loads.

And mala isn't full of THAT many knackers, maybe you just notice it more square_igloo since you went to the knacker school:Pnow if you went to the academy, or lived in on the right side, or in the actual town.....and i always say knackers don't bother you if they don't know your name !

KnifeWRENCH · 17-04-2009 1:06pm

KeyLimePie wrote: »

I regret to inform you that kanturk has now become a knacker town i moved from there 5 years ago and it's changed loads.

And mala isn't full of THAT many knackers, maybe you just notice it more square_igloo since you went to the knacker school:Pnow if you went to the academy, or lived in on the right side, or in the actual town.....and i always say knackers don't bother you if they don't know your name !

Pffft...the Academy. :rolleyes: :P Our school was way better and you know it!

Yeah I don't think Mallow is that bad when it comes to scumbags. They are there, definitely, but there are worse places. Mallow seems to have a bad reputation for scum though.

I never knew you lived in Kanturk btw.

CaptainSkidmark · 22-04-2009 12:39am

Ever notice kids in the tec in kanturk either talk like bogers or norries?

feckin hate kanturk.

mallow just has a bad name from ears ago. there is very rarely scumbags hanging around the town and even less in the pubs and clubs in mallow. FACT

emma-fly · 02-05-2009 11:26pm

Best is deffo Clonakilty

Worst is doneraile.....

Fact!

vector · 04-05-2009 5:13pm

Illkillya wrote: »

Worst is Dunmanway for sure....

In real-life whenever this question comes up Dunmanway is almost always the most hated town... Its in "West Cork" which is good, but it is too far inland, which is bad, it also seems too flat, not enough trees, feels a bit rough, but I could be wrong?

marissajane · 20-07-2009 8:05pm

The absolute worst in Mallow town on every possible level

RoyMcC · 20-07-2009 8:23pm

vector wrote: »

In real-life whenever this question comes up Dunmanway is almost always the most hated town... Its in "West Cork" which is good, but it is too far inland, which is bad, it also seems too flat, not enough trees, feels a bit rough, but I could be wrong?

Any Doheny's on here gonna defend Dunmanway? As it's the old family homestead I'm mortified to read the press it gets

But I can't argue as I've only paid fleeting visits in recent years. But 'too flat, not enough trees' I can live with vector :pac:

pikachucheeks · 20-07-2009 8:28pm

My dad sums up Dunmanway with his little pet name for it ; Mundaneway.

There's nothing there, it's just desolute and ... stuck in a time warp! Look in any of the shop windows, they're selling stuff that was from the eighties. and wasn't even cool back then!

Best place? I think Durrus is nice. Although, I would have to say that because I used to live there

There's nothing to do, but that's entirely the point. You just go there, look at the amazing views and chill.

Pipee · 07-08-2009 1:57pm

I think my favs would be Kinsale and Clon, I do also think that Cobh would be well up there if they simply removed some of the unsavoury people that live there. Buttevant and Donerale would both be in the battle for the wooden spoon though.

Heisenberg. · 07-08-2009 2:50pm

This post has been deleted.

Clare Bear · 07-08-2009 2:59pm

I don't think there's anywhere in Cork I've really thought "what a dump" I guess that's because I live in Dublin now and have seen a lot worse places up here.

I don't think Mallow is all bad. I'm half way between Cork city and Mallow so would know Mallow well enough. It's fine during the day but I've never seen what it's like at night. I know it was pretty rough with fights and scumbags a few years ago but from what I've heard it's improved a lot since.

GoneHome · 08-08-2009 2:39am

It's probably not the particular towns that are the problem it's the people living in those towns, I always thought Kanturk was a very "country" kind of place but I suppose that's because I don't know any of the people living there, same with Doneraile or Shanballymore, as for Mallow it always seems to be a suburb of Cork city with alot of "awrite boy" types living there........

Best and Worst Towns in County Cork

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