Ringaskiddy
Ringaskiddy
Rinn ui Scidígh | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Munster |
| County | Cork |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-1 (IST (WEST)) |
| Irish Grid Reference | W774642 |
Ringaskiddy (Irish: Rinn ui Scidígh - Skiddy's Headland) is a village in County Cork, Ireland. It is located on the western side of Cork harbour, south of Cóbh and it is 15 kms from Cork city with which it is connected by the N28 road. The village is now a major ferry port with passenger ferry services to France and the United Kingdom.[1]
Ringaskiddy has seen huge development in recent years. From a quiet fishing village it has been transformed into both a transport and industrial hub. Despite recent investment, infrastructure remains poor in the area. No bus service exists with the nearest town, Carrigaline, and the bus service which links the village with Cork city is intermittent, expensive and has a journey time of up to 45 minutes. The village is close to Cork Airport, as well as picturesque areas such as Crosshaven, Monkstown, and Currabinny.
Places of interest
A Martello Tower type fortification exists on the hilltop at Ringaskiddy. This complements the other forts and towers in the harbour. This tower can be accessed from the Lough Beg road and affords panoramic views of Cork Harbour.
Industry
Ringaskiddy is now a major industrial centre - particularly for companies in the pharmachem industry including Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Centocor, Novartis and Recordati. Ringaskiddy port handles much of the vehicle imports for the southern part of the country each year.
Plans to locate a domestic waste incinerator in Ringaskiddy recently fell through. The incinerator's proponents, Indaver Ireland, claimed the facility would have relieved pressure on the country's landfill programme. However locals and environmentalists feared the incinerator would have had a grave impact on health and the environment in the harbour area. They also expressed concerns over the proposed site's location in an area prone to flooding. An Bord Pleanála rejected planning permission although Indaver Ireland have said that they have not abandoned their plans [2]
Naval training
On March 30, 2006, the National Maritime College of Ireland was officially opened in Ringaskiddy. This college provides the only training in Ireland of Merchant Navy personnel. The Irish Naval Service also carry out their non-military training in the College. The opening of the maritime college has attracted a student population to the village.
The Irish Naval Service base at Haulbowline is adjacent to Ringaskiddy. Road access to the base is through the village.
See also
List of towns and villages in Ireland