The English Market Cork

Fiona Staunton • February 3, 2020

What to watch out for at The English Market in Cork City

So last week I headed to Cork to visit Ballymaloe Cookery school to interview Darina Allen and Rory O'Connell for my YouTube channel and podcast.

I have a long connection with cork as both my parents were from Cork, so many holidays were spent visiting relatives in Cork. I decided to pop into the Cork's iconic English Market before I headed out to Shanagarry. Here is my short tour of the market and what I bought!

The English Market in the heart of Cork City

Cork’s iconic English Market has been trading since 1788. One of the oldest and best covered markets in Europe, it has survived famine, flood, war, fires, and multiple recessions to remain a strong part of Cork’s retail and commercial centre. A building of architecturally significance, it is also valued as a heritage and tourist attraction.

The Market has several entrance options such as the Grand Parade side, or from Princes Street side, New Market Lane or Mutton Lane.

Foods from all over the world as well as traditional Cork foods can be purchased in the Market, e.g. crubeens (pigs' feet), and Tripe & Drisheen.

The origins of the market can be traced back to James 1st in 1610, but the present building dates from 1786. In 1980 it was destroyed by fire and was refurbished by Cork Corporation to an award-winning design by the Cork city architect T. F. MacNamara.

The English Market opening times - Monday to Saturday 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.

O'Connell's fishmongers have a fabulous display of fish and has been in the market for generations. My grandmother used to order her smoked salmon from here when we used to travel from Dublin to visit her. It also features in 'young offenders' which my son loves!

Next I went to Frank Hederman. I remember visiting his smoke house when I did the 12 week course in Ballymaloe. He has some amazing products. I bought a tub of his smoked salmon crush pate and some smoked mackerel - both delicious.

Next I visited the stall of the real olive company and Toon's bridge where I bought some delicious pesto, lots of parmesan in it, a selection of olives, semi dried tomatoes and some lovely mozzarella.

I also bought a delicious sourdough baguette from Arbutus Lodge at the On the Pigs Back stall- here they have amazing deli products. I bought some "Cork Boi" sausages which were delicious with onions and ketchup in a bun.

Below you can see some of the other stalls, O'Reilly is well know for the Cork specialities of tripe (lining of a cows stomach) and Drisheen (type of blood pudding) as well as their own sausages.

There is a lovely chocolate stall with an amazing selection of chocolate bars.

A great lunch stall with mouth watering sandwiches, salads and soup

And a stall, called MyGoodness with fermented foods, including water kefir, kombucha and vegan treats.

I then left the market and headed to Ballymaloe Cookery School were I trained in 1997. I loved being back and it was great to see the fermenting shed they now have.

I will share my interviews with both Darina and Rory with you very soon.