| Cork Harbour | |
|---|---|
 Aerial view of lower Cork Harbour from Crosshaven (south/foreground) to Great Island | |
 | |
  Cork Harbour | |
| Location | Cork |
| Coordinates | 51°51′N 8°16′W / 51.850°N 8.267°W |
| River sources | River Lee |
| Ocean/sea sources | Celtic Sea |
| Basin countries | Ireland |
| Settlements | Cork |
| Designated | 7 June 1996 |
| Reference no. | 837[1] |
Cork Harbour (Irish: Cuan Chorcaí)[2] is a natural harbour and river estuary at the mouth of the River Lee in County Cork, Ireland. It is one of several which lay claim to the title of "second largest natural harbour in the world by navigational area" (after Port Jackson, Sydney).[3] Other contenders include Halifax Harbour in Canada, Trincomalee Harbour in Sri Lanka and Poole Harbour in England.
The harbour has been a working port and a strategic defensive hub for centuries, and it has been one of Ireland's major employment hubs since the early 1900s. Traditional heavy industries have waned since the late 20th century, with the likes of the closure of Irish Steel in Haulbowline and shipbuilding at Verolme. It still has strategic significance in energy generation, shipping, refining and pharmaceuticals development.[4]
- ^ "Cork Harbour". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ Placenames Database of Ireland
- ^ "Surveys - Cork Harbour and Coast". INtegrated Mapping FOr the Sustainable Development of Ireland's MArine Resource (INFOMAR). Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
- ^ "Cork harbour is a bustling axis where hope and history ebb and swell". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 11 April 2015.