Consisting of twoneighbouring ‘villages’ known as Douglas East and DouglasWest, Douglas life centres on its many shops,restaurants, bars and pubs and the ease of access it offers to Cork city.
Douglasis also ideally located for exploring County Cork’s rugged coast and beautiful countryside,home to pretty villages, port towns and pristine beaches.
Shopping in Douglas
Douglasis a great shopping haunt, not least because of the array of independent shops flankingits two main streets – Douglas West and DouglasEast. Moreover, Douglas boasts two large shoppingcentres – the Douglas Village Shopping Centre andthe Douglas Court Shopping Centre — each home tobig name retailers and supermarkets.
When you want retailtherapy of a different kind, however, Douglas comes uptrumps. Every Saturday, a thriving Farmer’s Market sets up stall in the DouglasCourt Shopping Centre, bringing around 30 food stands that sell everything fromlocal farm produce to fresh breads, organic goodies and homemade Irish specialities.
Food, Restaurants and Nightlife in Douglas
Douglasoffers an excellent clutch of eateries ideal for quick bites and special meals out,that can be found around Church Street. From stylish bars known for theircontemporary Irish food to popular bistros offering international fare, there’ssomething for all tastes.
For evenings out, youcan cosy up in one of Douglas’ traditional pubsnext to a real fire and enjoy the traditional live Irish music. Alternatively,you may want to visit one of the stylish bars that host live DJs at weekends orslow the pace by catching a movie at the multiplex cinema.
Sport and Activities around Douglas
Douglashas plenty for sports, nature and sightseeing enthusiasts. You’ll find two golfcourses on the fringes of town — Douglas Golf Clubwith its parkland fairways and FrankfieldGolf Club — or you can enjoy the local countryside and coast. Douglasis a great springboard for exploring County Cork’s stunning landscapes, from itscraggy cliffs to its historic ports and unspoilt beaches. Other must-dosinclude seeing the animals at FotaWildlife Park, taking whale spotting boat trips from Cork Harbour andvisiting BlarneyCastle, Ireland’s oldest castle, to kiss the world-famous Blarney Stone!
Douglas as a Base for Cork City
If you’re looking for a handybase for visiting Cork city, Douglas is perfectlyplaced. Frequent buses will whisk you into the centre in around 20 minutes,where you’ll discover handsome Georgian architecture and charming streets stuffedwith high street stores and quirky shops, restaurants and bars. Top Corkattractions include the food-lined halls of the English Market, ornate St FinBarre’s Cathedral, together with museums, churches and art galleries.