County Cork is the biggest as well as the southernmost county of Ireland. It is located within the province of Munster and its capital is Cork city. The Irish county is home to 542,868 residents.
1. The first factory of Ford Motor Company outside USA was in Cork, where owner Henry Ford's ancestors hailed from.
2. The village of Glanworth in Cork is home to a bridge which is the narrowest as well as oldest bridge in public use in Europe.
3. In 1833, the first Temperance Society ( where members abstained from alcohol) in Europe was formed in Skibbereen in West Cork.
4. In 1912, the iconic Titanic's last port of call was in the town of Cobh in County Cork.
5. In 1588, the first-ever potato in Ireland was planted by Sir Walter Raligh close to his home in Youghal, County Cork.
6. Cork has the distinction of having the oldest Yacht Club on the planet founded way back in 1720.
7. County Cork boasts of being Ireland's largest county.
8. During the 18th century, Cork had the biggest butter market in the world.
9. The first ever steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean departed from Cobh, Cork in 1838. It was called the SS Sirius.
10. In 1903, the world's first ever motorboat race took place in Cobh, Cork.
11. The famed St Colman's Cathedral located in Cobh boasts of having the largest Carillon Bells in all of the British Isles.
12. The Dursey Island Cable Car in West Cork is Ireland's sole cable car. It is also Europe's sole cable car over open water.
13. Cork Harbor has the distinction of being the world's 2nd largest natural harbor next only to Sydney Harbor in Australia.
14. Cork is dubbed 'The Rebel County' owing to a history of resisting outside powers right from the ancient Viking invasions to the relatively recent Irish War of Independence.
15. Cork is dubbed the Gourmet Capital of Ireland and the town of Kinsale regarded as the nation's crown jewel.