With its deep-rooted history, more than a thousand kilometers of pristine coastline dotted with pretty harbor villages, and a gently lilting up-and-down accent that flows like the green hills that tumble to the ocean, the county of Cork and its abundance of character–-and characters–-is the essence of what makes Ireland special. Known locally as The People's Republic of Cork, Ireland's largest county is also home to the country's second-biggest city, and while you'll find huge festivals, a vibrant culinary scene, and big, breathtaking scenery, it feels small and friendly. The city is pleasantly compact and walkable, while the outlying towns are tiny and within easy reach along narrow, winding roads.

But as you look over the fuchsia-laden hedges that ring thriving dairy farms or stop at a wayside restaurant to sample locally sourced beef, it's difficult to imagine that a century and a half ago this area was decimated by famine. Thousands perished in fields and workhouses, and thousands more took "coffin ships" from Cobh in Cork Harbour to the New World. The region was battered again during both the War for Independence and the civil war that were fought with intensity in and around "Rebel Cork" between 1919 and 1921. Most Cork families have relatives who left for the USA on an emigrant liner back in the 1950s and ’60s, and memories of the civil war years are kept alive, fueled by memorial events.