Father Mathew Statue, Cork
On Cork鈥檚 busy St. Patrick鈥檚 Street, there鈥檚 a figure who鈥檚 been keeping an unblinking watch since 1864: Father Theobald Mathew, better known as the 鈥淎postle of Temperance.鈥� Born in 1790 and arriving in Cork in 1814, Mathew was the kind of priest who didn鈥檛 just preach鈥攈e acted. Whether tending to the sick during the cholera outbreak of 1832 or helping the destitute during the Great Famine, he built a reputation for compassion. Then came 1838, when he launched the Knights of Father Mathew, a temperance movement that convinced millions across Ireland to give up the drink鈥攁 bold crusade in a city that鈥檚 always had a healthy relationship with its pubs.
When Mathew died in 1856, Cork decided he deserved a tribute worthy of his influence. The task first went to sculptor John Hogan, but fate intervened and the job passed to John Foley. Cast in London and unveiled on October 10, 1864, the monument bears the inscription 鈥淎 Tribute From a Grateful People.鈥� It has held its ground ever since鈥攓uite literally鈥攕urviving a relocation attempt in 2000 thanks to strong public pushback.
In its early years, the statue wasn鈥檛 just a symbol鈥攊t was a landmark for Cork鈥檚 electric tram system, often treated as the city鈥檚 unofficial central point. Today, it鈥檚 still a meeting spot, surrounded by the hum of shops, caf茅s, and constant foot traffic, as if Father Mathew has been drafted into Cork鈥檚 daily life as an honorary host.
The statue is more than bronze on stone. It鈥檚 a reminder of a man who challenged social habits, inspired change, and became woven into the city鈥檚 identity.
When Mathew died in 1856, Cork decided he deserved a tribute worthy of his influence. The task first went to sculptor John Hogan, but fate intervened and the job passed to John Foley. Cast in London and unveiled on October 10, 1864, the monument bears the inscription 鈥淎 Tribute From a Grateful People.鈥� It has held its ground ever since鈥攓uite literally鈥攕urviving a relocation attempt in 2000 thanks to strong public pushback.
In its early years, the statue wasn鈥檛 just a symbol鈥攊t was a landmark for Cork鈥檚 electric tram system, often treated as the city鈥檚 unofficial central point. Today, it鈥檚 still a meeting spot, surrounded by the hum of shops, caf茅s, and constant foot traffic, as if Father Mathew has been drafted into Cork鈥檚 daily life as an honorary host.
The statue is more than bronze on stone. It鈥檚 a reminder of a man who challenged social habits, inspired change, and became woven into the city鈥檚 identity.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Cork. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Download The 黑料吃瓜网 App
Father Mathew Statue on Map
Sight Name: Father Mathew Statue
Sight Location: Cork, Ireland (See walking tours in Cork)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Cork, Ireland (See walking tours in Cork)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Cork, Ireland
Create Your Own Walk in Cork
Creating your own self-guided walk in Cork is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Cork Introduction Walking Tour
Cork鈥檚 story starts in the 6th century, when Saint Finn Barr decided that a patch of soggy ground was the perfect place for a monastery. The swampiness of the place was immortalized in its original Irish name Corcaigh or corcach, meaning 鈥渕arsh鈥�. It was a quiet, devout little community鈥� until the Vikings showed up between 915 and 922. They parked their longships, set up a trading port, and... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles
Cork Heritage Pub Trail
A truly fun way to explore Cork is by visiting the local heritage pubs, a cherished part of the city's cultural and social fabric. Situated in the heart of Cork, these establishments are not just places to grab a drink but living time capsules that take you back to a bygone era in a warm and welcoming setting. Let's take a look at some of Cork's notable 鈥渨atering holes鈥�.
Sin... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Sin... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles