Accommodation

Welcome

Halberg is focused on making your stay with us as enjoyable and fulfilled as possible. To this end, we provide a range of resources to help you immerse yourself in all aspects of living in your host city.

Our exclusive residence halls are designed to make you feel right at home while giving you the freedom to flourish amongst friends.

Modern and comfortable bedrooms are centred around fun and spacious lounges, dining and kitchen areas. All bedrooms are single occupancy with a shared bathroom between 3.

Excellent wi-fi will connect you to those at home while our well equipped kitchen and comfortable lounges will help you grow and connect with those around you.

Features

  • FREE Hi-speed WiFi
  • TV supplied
  • Dedicated Study Space
  • Active Site Management
  • 24 Hour CCTV / Gated with Secure electronic access
  • Laundry facilities on-site
  • Dedicated Bike rack on-site
  • Public Transport adjacent
  • Supermarkets and services all close by
  • Complimentary Cleaning
  • Utility Allowance Included

Finding Us

We are located in the old Victorian Quarter of the city within 5 minutes walking distance of the city centre. From the centre, just walk towards St. Patrick's Hill and turn right on to Wellington Road. The Halberg buildings will be on your left after approx. 600 metres. We are next to Sheila’s hostel. For Google Maps - use postcode T23 T286

During normal business hours just call to the office at No. 8, and our facilities manager, Tara, or one of her staff will be there to meet you and get you settled in. At other times we will have made arrangements to meet you and show you around. Your accommodation will be provided with a small supply of essential groceries so that you can make tea or coffee and relax - you're finally here.

Transport Links

Getting around the city and to and from college couldn't be easier. The number 205 bus will take you from St.Patrick's Street straight to the college main gates. Coming from college to the city, just return on the same bus, the 205. Travel time in either direction is around 20 minutes.

Times:

  • Mon-Fri - every 15 minutes 6:30am - 7pm, every 30 minutes 7pm - 11:30pm
  • Sat: every 30 mins, 7:15am - 11:45pm
  • Sun: every 30 mins from 10:15am - 11:45pm

A range of transport operators give discounts of 50% to Young Adult (19-23) and Student Leap Card holders. You need to have a Young Adult (19-23) or Student Leap Card to avail of the discount.

See Leap Card here for details.

Bike Rental

The city operates a pay-as-you-go bike rental scheme. You will need to sign up and provide credit card details. It costs €10.00 per annum, and the first 30 minutes of every journey are free. Pick-up and drop-off stations are located conveniently around the city including at your college and in Patrick Street and South Mall. For more details and to sign up, go to the TFI Bikeshare site

You are not legally obliged to wear a helmet or hi-visibility clothing while cycling in Ireland but the Road Safety Authority of Ireland recommends cyclists wear both for safety.

Car Rental

You can rent a car from any of the several rental companies dotted around the city. Rental rates range from €200 per day for a small compact model, to €1,200 per week for a luxurious sedan. Shop around because prices will change and there are bargains to be had at off peak times. There are also good deals to be found online - just search for ‘car rental cork.’

Here is a non-exhaustive list of rental offices in the city:
Enterprise: Kinsale Rd · (021) 497 5133
Hertz: Lower Glanmire Rd · (021) 455 2240
Europcar: City centre · (021) 240 0140
Budget: Airport · 021 431 4000
Avis: Airport · 021 432 7460

Food Shopping

Cork city has a full complement of big-name grocery retailers, including Dunnes, Tesco, Centra, and Marks & Spencer. For the more value-conscious there is Aldi and Lidl. All stores will stock a comprehensive range of local and international food, and for a truly local experience boasting a range of artisanal foods you can visit the English Market on Grand Parade, or the Quay CoOp and Vegetarian Restaurant on Sullivan’s Quay. Prices vary considerably between different stores so be sure to allow sufficient time to shop around.

Local convenience stores near you include:
ABD Store on Any road (2 min. walk)
BCD Store on Other road (4 min walk)

Eating In

Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just-Eat all provide delivery services in the city, and most restaurants and takeaway outlets can deliver your order using their services. Delivery charges are usually in the €2 to €4 range, and tipping the delivery person is not expected, but greatly appreciated when it does happen.

Local restaurants near you include:
Boojum (Mexican)
Burger King (Burgers)
Pizzamore (Italian)
Camile Thai (Thai, Vegan)

Eating Out

The city offers a broad range of local and international cuisine. It can be difficult to find that killer combination of quality at a reasonable price, and anything beyond the industrial food of McDonalds, Burger King, etc is regarded as ‘premium’ and priced accordingly. However, here are a few suggestions for restaurants that combine good ingredients and good cooking at a reasonable price. Please note that we have no association with these outlets, and do not receive payment in cash or kind for our recommendations.

Chinese: Yuan Ming Yuan
Indian: Eastern Tandoori
Italian: Il Padrino
French: Strasbourg Goose
Pizza: Dolce & Salato - probably the best pizza in the world.
Fish: Goldie
International: Jacques

Taxis

Unlike cities such as London or New York, our city does not have specially designated vehicles for use as taxicabs. The vehicle taking you to your destination can be any 5-seater saloon, SUV, or people carrier, all of which are required by law to carry distinct markings. Drivers are required to display their ID in a prominent position in the cab, and you are entitled to ask to examine it. All cabs are fitted with a meter clearly displaying a running total of your bill, and you can usually pay with cash or card although you should check with the driver before you start your journey. You are entitled to a printed receipt at the end of your journey. Tipping of drivers is not expected, but undoubtedly welcome.

A small selection of taxi contact numbers:
Cork Taxi Co-Op 427 2222
Satellite Taxis 480 8080
Douglas Street Cabs 484 7888

Bus Routes

The national bus service is operated by Bus Eireann ( translation: Irish Bus). There is a comprehensive bus service covering the city and suburbs, and Expressway, Bus Éireann's premium coach service, provides direct and regular services on 19 routes throughout Ireland. City and suburban services can be accessed from any bus stop along the route you wish to travel on, and the national bus routes can be picked up from the city bus station on Parnell Place. The TFI Real Time Ireland App is available free on the Apple App store and the Google Play store. The app combines all real time information services from Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead Ireland Iarnród Éireann (Trains) and Luas (Dublin city light transport). The app provides live updates, helping you plan your journey efficiently.

You can search by route or by stop number. Simply click on the menu and select the relevant option. There is also an interactive map available, with each stop labelled. Once you’ve located your stop, tap on the bus symbol, and the app will direct you to the departures page. It’s also fun to use. You can watch your bus on the app as it approaches your stop - 2 minutes away, one minute away, then disappear into thin air, with the next bus now showing as twenty minutes away.

Trains

Kent Station is located on the Lower Glanmire Road, a few minutes from the city centre. The station operates as a hub for Intercity services to Dublin and Tralee and commuter services to Mallow, Cobh and Midleton Train services are operated by Iarnród Éireann (translation: Irish Railways) and booking of train journeys can be done from the website, or at the ticket office in the station. You can purchase a general ticket to sit in any available seat, or book a specific seat. There is also a Gold service available on the Cork-Dublin route that provides more luxurious surroundings, and better seating. It used to have the option of food served at your table, but this was suspended during Covid, with no sign of its return.

You can use theTFI Real Time Ireland App (see under Bus Routes abovee) to check your train’s progress and departure and arrival times, although you are less likely to see trains ‘disappear’ mid-journey.

Airport

Cork airport is located south of the city approximately 20 minutes from the city centre, and it is a hub for Ryanair, Aer Lingus, JetMagic, Eirjet, Futura Gael, Aer Arann, and Avair. The airport is small so getting through check-in and security is usually pretty quick, although most airlines will expect you to arrive at the airport at least an hour before departure time.

Be aware that some airlines, notably Ryanair, will close the flight some time before boarding, so if you like to board the aircraft last then at least make sure that you have registered with the staff at the gate or you will be left behind.