Shandon Bells & St Anne's Church
On Gingerguide's self-guided Cork audio tour, Shandon Bells & St Anne's Church is a stop worth about ~60 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type religious
- Suggested visit ~60 min
- Cork Cork guide
About Shandon Bells & St Anne's Church
Cork's most iconic tower, famous for its two limestone and two sandstone faces, the eight melodious Shandon Bells that visitors can ring themselves, and its celebrated folk song.
St Anne's Church in the Shandon quarter of Cork's north bank is one of the city's most recognisable landmarks, its distinctive tower featuring two faces of limestone and two of red sandstone, reflecting the two main building stones of Cork. The tower's clock, known affectionately as 'the four-faced liar' because the faces historically showed different times, adds to its character. The eight bells inside, cast in 1750 by Abel Rudhall of Gloucester, are among the finest in Ireland. Visitors climb the tower, passing through the bell chamber where they can ring the bells themselves using a simple tune sheet, a uniquely joyful experience that makes Shandon famous. The church was built in 1722 on the ruins of a medieval church destroyed during the Siege of Cork in 1690. It inspired the famous 19th-century poem 'The Bells of Shandon' by Father Francis Mahony.
Did you know? The tower clock is nicknamed 'the four-faced liar' because its four clock faces have historically shown slightly different times, a charming imprecision Corkonians love.
How much time do you need at Shandon Bells & St Anne's Church?
Around ~60 min works well for Shandon Bells & St Anne's Church — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Shandon Bells & St Anne's Church?
Yes — Shandon Bells & St Anne's Church made the cut as one of 22 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Cork. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Cork
Hear the story of Shandon Bells & St Anne's Church
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