Youghal, Medieval port town in County Cork, Ireland
Youghal is a port town in County Cork that sits along the western bank of the Blackwater River, with medieval structures dating back centuries. Stone walls built in the 13th century still frame the town's character and landscape.
The town developed as a fortified port and was walled in the 13th century to protect shipping and commerce. By the late 1500s, wealthy English settlers like Sir Walter Raleigh made homes here, bringing new influences to the area.
St. Mary's Collegiate Church shows how faith shaped this town's life over centuries, with its distinctive oak roof built to resemble a ship's hull. The building reflects how craftsmanship and local identity were woven together in medieval times.
You can walk through the medieval quarter on your own, using available maps to find sites like the Clock Gate Tower and the old walls. The town is easy to navigate on foot, with clear paths through the main areas.
The Water Gate, also called Cromwell's Arch, is Ireland's only surviving medieval town gate that reaches all the way to the water. This rare relic allows direct access from the sea into the town, a feature that vanished in other Irish settlements.
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