New Walking Trails To Celebrate Cork City's Historic Streets

North Main Street and Oliver Plunkett Street are set to get two new self-guided walking trails, inviting locals and visitors to look closer at the city's often-overlooked architecture.

North Main Street and Oliver Plunkett Street have been chosen as the locations for the new trails. They form part of the Wonder Wander Trail Network, first launched in 2024 to celebrate the distinct architecture, character and stories found within Ireland's Architectural Conservation Areas.

The Cork City trails are a joint initiative between the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) and Cork City Council's Architectural Conservation Office. Studio Myco and James Grieve Architects have been appointed to develop the new routes.

Each trail will be self-guided, with an illustrated map and a scavenger hunt designed to encourage people of all ages to look up, look down and look closer at details often missed, including historic shopfronts, post boxes and street signage.

The project is being shaped in partnership with the local community, and the public are being asked to nominate their favourite buildings and share memories connected to these places. This local knowledge will help identify and enrich the stories that ultimately feature on the trail maps.

Two community engagement events will take place next week for anyone who would like to get involved. The first is on Thursday 24 September at the English Market, from 11am to 1pm, followed by a second session on Friday 25 September at Cork City Library, from 3pm to 5pm. Everyone is welcome to drop in, share their stories and help shape the Cork City trails.

The completed Cork City Wonder Wander Walking Trails are due to launch in spring 2027.