The great Irish exodus began in the 1840s and lasted for many decades afterwards. More than two and a half million Irish individuals eventually emigrated through the Queenstown harbour near Cork – nowadays called Cobh.

There is a statue for them on the quayside of Cobh. This statue depicts an Irish woman called Annie Moore and her two brothers who left for the USA in 1891. On the 1st January 1892 she was admitted through Ellis Island (in New York harbour).

Today Cobh, with its remarkably beautiful cathedral, has become a popular cruise ship destination. From here guests can take day trips to the English Market in Cork, visit the Blarney Stone and go on a whiskey-tasting excursion to the nearby Bushmills distillery.

In 2012 the harbour will once again see a ship departing for the distant horizons when MSC Lirica leaves on one of two round trip cruises from here. MSC said they introduced the cruises on board the 60,000 ton Lirica to allow local passengers to board and disembark from a nearby port without having to first fly to England.

The company’s Director of Sales for Ireland and Northern Ireland, Lorenzo Diamantini, said “We have experienced incredible growth in the Irish market over the last three years. By positioning one of our ships in Cork we can give many more local passengers the opportunity to experience the superb itineraries on offer.”

The two 11-night cruises depart on the 15th August and the 26th September next year.