Looking for things to do in Cork during your stay at The Maryborough? Explore Curraghbinny Woods located nearby in a beautiful setting on a prominent hill overlooking Cork Harbour. It is a compact wood, covering just 35 hectares but its beauty outweighs its size. It has an old world feel largely due to the amount of carriage paths running through the wood and its location close to the stunning architecture of the Terrace and the Villas at Curraghbinny Pier. With the woods only a 15-minute drive from our 4 star hotel in Cork it is the perfect spot for a romantic stroll or to explore with the kids where you can delight them with the story of Curraghbinny.
The Story of Curraghbinny Woods
The name of the woods “Curraghbinny” in Irish is “Corra Binne” named after the legendary giant called Binne. It is believed that this cairn is his burial chamber atop the hill (called a “Corra” in Irish).
Atop the summit of Curraghbinny Hill in Curraghbinny Forest Recreation Area lies a mound of giant stones/ cairn that is locally called “The Giant’s Grave”. The grave overlooks Cork Harbour. It was excavated by an archaeological team in 1932 by archaeologist Sean P. O’Riordan. During this excavation, a large circle of giant boulders were uncovered beneath a spread of stones. Within the cairn was an arc of smaller stones closer to the center. In the center of the monument was a heap of stone and clay. That is all found within the cairn. Nearby however were found cattle teeth, cattle bone, charcoal, cremated human bone, a small bronze ring, and two collections of water-rolled pebbles imported from elsewhere. The cremated human bone found nearby was carbon dated roughly to be 4,000 years old. No one knows the exact date of the cairn, but it is estimate to be Bronze Age (2000 B.C.E. to 400 B.C.E.).