English Market facts for kids
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| Location | Between Grand Parade and Princes Street, Cork city, Ireland. |
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| Coordinates | 51°53′53″N 8°28′26″W / 51.898°N 8.474°W |
| Opening date | 1788 |
| Owner | Cork City Council |
| Goods sold | Food (primarily) |
| Days normally open | Monday to Saturday |
| Number of tenants | 130 |
The English Market is a famous food market in the heart of Cork city, Ireland. Its name in Irish is An Margadh Sasanach. It connects Princes Street and the Grand Parade, bringing together two older markets. People love it for its beautiful old buildings from the 1800s and for the amazing local food made by skilled craftspeople.
It's a popular spot for tourists and is known all over the world. Famous chef Rick Stein even called it the "best covered market in the UK and Ireland"!
History of the English Market
The name English Market started in the 1800s. It helped tell it apart from another market nearby, St. Peter's Market, which was called the Irish Market. There has been a market in this spot since 1788. Back then, it was a place for selling meat and was known as "new markets."
The very first building is gone now. The market was rebuilt over time, especially in the mid-1800s. Architects John Benson and Robert Walker added a front section, a court with balconies, and made the market bigger towards Princes Street.
Today, the market has a cool cast iron fountain in the middle. You can usually enter through a fancy three-part entrance on Princes Street or a grand entrance from the Grand Parade. The inside of the market is special, with a pointed central roof, big archways, and stained glass windows.
The current buildings were mostly built in the mid-1800s. The beautiful entrance on Princes Street was added in 1862 by Sir John Benson. The market stayed much the same for about 100 years.
However, a big fire badly damaged it on June 19, 1980. Cork City Council had to fix it up completely. The repairs were done carefully to match the original Victorian style of the building. Because of this great restoration work, the market won a Gold Medal from the Europa Nostra heritage group. Sadly, another fire happened in 1986, but it caused less damage than the first.
The English Market Today
Cork City Council manages the market. Since it was rebuilt, the market has become more multicultural. This means you can find fresh foods from all over the world there.
But the market is still most famous for its fresh fish and butchers. Many of Cork city's best restaurants buy their ingredients here. It's also the place to find local specialities like drisheen (a type of sausage), spiced beef, and buttered eggs.
Important visitors have come to the market. Queen Elizabeth II visited in 2011 during her trip to Ireland. Charles, Prince of Wales (now King Charles III) also stopped by in 2018. Both were served by a friendly fishmonger named Pat O'Connell.
In 2016 and 2017, the English Market was used as a filming location. It appeared in the movie The Young Offenders and the TV show with the same name. In August 2018, Cork City Council and the market traders celebrated the market's 230th birthday!
See also
In Spanish: Mercado Inglés para niños
