ERSA2018 Cork

Accompanying Persons Programme

The Local Organising Committee is very pleased to offer an exciting programme for accompanying persons.
There will be an event each day of the Congress, but also plenty of time to explore the beautiful city of Cork and the countryside and coast around it.
Each event is included in the fee for accompanying persons, who are also welcome to attend the social events: Welcome Reception on Tuesday August 28th, Get-together Party on Wednesday August 29th and the Congress Dinner on Friday August 31st.
Please note that the tours are limited to 30 accompanying persons and registration can be made through the Congress participant registration form.

Wednesday August 29th: UCC Campus and the Gluckman Gallery

On Wednesday August 29 there will be a guided tour of the campus of University College Cork, followed by a private curatorial tour of the award winning Glucksman Gallery. The cultural and historic guided tour of University College Cork includes a visit to the Aula Maxima, the Ogam Stones Corridor, the Main Quadrangle, and the refurbished Crawford Observatory. You will learn how, from its origins as Queen College Cork in 1845, UCC has grown to become a world class University. This tour will take approximately 70 minutes and will be followed by a private curatorial tour of the award-winning Glucksman Gallery on campus. The Lewis Glucksman Gallery is a cultural and educational institution that promotes the research, creation, and exploration of the visual arts. It is located in an award-winning building, designed by Royal Gold Medal winning O’Donnell+Tuomey architects. The building includes display spaces, lecture facilities, a riverside restaurant, and gallery shop. The tours will start at 11am.

Thursday August 30th: Walking Tour of the City of Cork

On Thursday August 30 there will be a guided walking tour of the city of Cork. This will last approximately 90 minutes and will take in all of the important historical and cultural sites of this ancient city. The tour will cover many parts of the compact 800 year old city, where you will experience the smells and sounds of the English Market, stroll the busy lanes of the 18th century Huguenot Quarter, and wonder at Burges’ magnificent French Neo-Gothic cathedral. You can read about the wonderful attractions of the city in a recent New York Times article here and a recent Marie Claire article here. The tour will start at 11am from the River Lee Hotel near the university campus.

Friday August 31st: Spike Island Tour

On Friday August 31 there will be a visit to Spike Island. Spike Island is the winner of Europe’s leading tourist attraction 2017 at the World Travel Awards. In the last 1,300 years Spike Island has been host to a 6th century Monastery, a 24 acre Fortress, the largest convict depot in the world in Victorian times, and centuries of island homes. The island's rich history has included monks and monasteries, rioters and redcoats, captains and convicts, and sinners and saints. Today the island is dominated by the 200-year old Fort Mitchel, the star shaped Fortress, which became a prison holding over 2,300 prisoners. You will be collected from the campus on Friday morning and brought by coach to Cobh (approximately 30 minutes trip). Cobh was the final departure point of the Titanic on its ill-fated maiden voyage. You will take the scenic ferry ride from Kennedy Pier, Cobh, and enjoy a fully guided tour of the island and fortress. You will be dropped back to the campus after the visit to Spike Island by 3pm, so will have plenty of time for some shopping and to prepare for the Congress dinner.