Friday

1) 4 P.M. Something Old, Something New

Stroll the well-manicured campus of University College Cork, founded in 1845. A stately corridor fronting the neo-Gothic Main Quadrangle Building houses the largest publicly displayed collection of Ogham stones (free). Dating to the 5th century, these oversized carved rocks are the earliest written source of the Irish language. Much more recent Irish handiwork is shown at the college’s Lewis Glucksman Gallery (suggested donation, 5 euros, or about $6). The dramatic timber-wrapped building, designed by the Irish architects Sheila O’Donnell and John Tuomey, houses seasonal visual art exhibitions like “Outposts,” which explores issues surrounding global borders with work from the likes of Mexican artist Teresa Margolles and Palestinian Larissa Sansour (through March 11).

2) 6 P.M. Take Me to Church

The high density of churches combined with an increasingly secular population make Ireland ripe for those who take over former houses of worship for nonreligious purposes. A welcome example is Triskel Arts Center, in a restored neo-Classical church in Cork’s center city, where guests settle into pews under a soaring ceiling and stained glass windows for film screenings and live musical performances. The historic site, where Cork’s first church was built a millennium ago, also includes an art gallery, while in the basement there’s an 18th-century crypt that visitors can gaze into through a cleverly designed glass viewing box.

A colorful streetscape in Cork. Credit Darren McLoughlin for The New York Times



3) 8 P.M. Chaat Room

Soppy curry fries are lapped up nightly in many a pub throughout Ireland, but the authentic South Indian cuisine on hand at Iyer’s is something altogether different. At this pint-size spot, with just 10 seats and a chalkboard menu, the chef-owner, Gautham Iyer, serves up an Ayurvedic menu in which local seasonal vegetables take center stage. The daily changing options usually feature an innovative take on chaat, a traditional Indian street snack — a crunchy mix of fried dough and chickpeas — topped with fun extras like pistachio and wild garlic chutney. Save room for desserts — Mr. Iyer’s wife, Caroline, bakes creative concoctions like masala chai brownies. Dinner for two runs about 35 euros.

4) 10 P.M. Take Flight

Trade the bright flavors of India for the dark, swanky interior of Elbow Lane Brew & Smoke House, a restaurant with an in-house nanobrewery. Their license requires that you order something to eat, but even the olives that come with a flight of three house-brewed beers (9.90 euros) will do. Following the ancient German Reinheitsgebot or beer purity law, the additive-free brews are made from just water, barley, hops and yeast, but that doesn’t mean they’re short on flavor. Don’t miss the Arrow Weisse, a refreshing, citrusy take on Bavarian-style wheat beer.