UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK

It is possible to visit the University College Cork (UCC) and its tree-lined campus, to blend in with the student population and especially to admire its superb architecture. Finally, UCC, founded by Queen Victoria in 1849, has perhaps more charm than Trinity College Dublin: it has neither the reputation nor the treasures, but the harmony of the buildings is happier. At the heart of the campus is the Quad, the university's main building, built in 1849 in the Tudor Gothic style. The Hall, with its stained glass windows commemorating former great professors and paintings hanging on the walls of former university presidents, is used today for official ceremonies such as inaugurations, graduations, concerts, etc. In the north wing of the Quad, one will discover ogham stones from Ireland (about twenty), of different sizes and profusion of signs (using notably some signs of the Latin alphabet). The oghamic stones date from between the 4th and 8th centuries and we are not sure of their use: tomb, commemorative stone or perhaps even a landmark.

St Honan's Chapel was built in 1915 in the Irish Romanesque style. Its tiling is unusual: it begins with the signs of the zodiac, before flowing in a long stream of water along which a series of fish swim to the choir. This flow stops at the mouth of a dragon surrounded by animals or birds. A very surprising representation of the Creation.