FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS

This rather unusual setting is a stage for budding musicians, although this audition will be heard by a whole city

Well, it turns out that the bells can toll for you in Cork City during your trek on The Wild Atlantic Way. These bells are the soundtrack for this wonderful city, and you can add your name to the playlist by ringing out a tune on The Bells of Shandon.

The Shandon Bells are located in the tower at St Anne’s Church which is an iconic part of the city’s skyline. Built in 1722 as a chapel of ease to the former St. Mary’s Church Shandon, which was originally situated on this site but was destroyed in the Siege of Cork in 1690. The site where St Anne’s stands and St Mary’s stood, has been a site of worship since before medieval times. The Tower forms a striking landmark, visible from many parts of the city, with its red sandstone (North & East) and white ashlar limestone (South & West). It is believed that the colours of the tower gave rise to the sporting colours of Cork.

Standing 50 metres high above the surrounding Shandon neighbourhood, visitors can climb the narrow stone steps to the bell tower which is topped by a 3-metre gold fish weathervane, if you are struggling to find this tower just look for the giant gold fish in the sky and you should be okay.

There are eight bells in total weighing six tonnes, and they do not ring in the usual fashion. They are rung on a fixed bells system called an ‘Ellacombe’ system. The bell remains static and when you pull the rope, the clapper hits the bell. The eight bells pulleys are numbered, and a playbook is sat beside them allowing you to play songs such as Amazing Grace, Kumbaya and Raindrops keep falling on my head among others. As the inscription on the bells state, “When us you ring, we’ll sweetly sing.” Would-be campanologists (bell-ringers) may be able to figure out the tones and then play a more eclectic mix of music that will be heard throughout the city.

After you have serenaded the city you can climb to the top of the tower to view the bells and also see “The Four Faced Liar”. Built in 1847, this was the first four faced clock until the construction of Big Ben. It was given its unusual name by the city locals who noticed that the four clocks were not always in agreement of the exact time. The top of the bell tower offers a 360° view of city and is quite the area to fully capture the beauty of Cork City.

These famous bells and the tower that houses them provide visitors with the chance to get the best views of Cork and the rather unique opportunity to serenade a whole city with your musical talents.