Cork Rebel Experience: Walking Tour with Trivia
Welcome, but some friendly advice first: Want something a little deeper than another city tours? I'm an actor, teacher, polyglot (speak 9 languages) and a lover of history, books and ideas. If you just want to take photos to put on social media, have little interest in history and really don’t like walking, then PLEASE BOOK A DIFFERENT TOUR!!! If you are intellectually curious and like to think and discover, then let me take you through the streets of Cork - the Real Capital of Ireland. I’m Ayoub, founder and guide of Free Rebel Tours in Cork. I have super international background, having lived in Ireland, Slovakia, Spain, Morocco, Italy and some other places. I speak 9 languages fluently and have visited almost every European country. This allows me to connect with visitors from all over the world and make the tour accessible in multiple languages. I am a teacher a professional actor with experience in film, television, and theatre, including performances with well-known actors such as Samuel L. Jackson (The Office), Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction) and Kristofer Hivju (The Game of Thrones). My theatrical training influences the way I run tours: storytelling and interactive engagement make Cork’s history and culture come alive. Visitors often comment that the tour feels lively, personal, and very human. I started Free Rebel Tours because I noticed a gap in Cork for tours that combined history, culture, food, and interactive storytelling. My goal is to show the real Cork – from the university to the English Market, Shandon Bells, and hidden corners – in a way that is informative, engaging, and enjoyable for everyone.
Pickup
We are meeting in front of the Main Gates of University College Cork ) opposite to the Green Frog Café).
Description
Welcome, but some friendly advice first: Want something a little deeper than another city tours? I'm an actor, teacher, polyglot (speak 9 languages) and a lover of history, books and ideas. If you just want to take photos to put on social media, have little interest in history and really don’t like walking, then PLEASE BOOK A DIFFERENT TOUR!!! If you are intellectually curious and like to think and discover, then let me take you through the streets of Cork - the Real Capital of Ireland.
This tour starts at University College Cork, one of the most beautiful campuses in Europe. Please note we are the only tour in Cork that includes the University Campus tour. We’ll walk through the historic Quadrangle, the Honan Chapel with its famous stained glass, and the university grounds that mix Gothic buildings with modern student life.
From there, we’ll trace the story of Cork back to its beginnings at St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral, built on the site where the city was founded in the 7th century.
We’ll then visit Nano Nagle Place, a hidden spot that tells the story of education, religion, and social change in Cork.
In the city centre, we’ll explore the Grand Parade with the National Monument and the statue of Michael Collins – two powerful reminders of Cork’s role in Ireland’s fight for independence.
At the halfway point, we stop in the English Market, where you can try food from around the world and see why it has been the city’s food heart for centuries.
The walk continues past the Crawford Art Gallery, the Cork Opera House, and the site of the Old Butter Market, once a key part of Cork’s global trade. Finally, we’ll cross the River Lee to the Shandon area, where we’ll see the Shandon Bells and St. Anne’s Cathedral, Cork’s most famous landmark.
To keep things fun, the tour also includes a Ireland Trivia Quiz with small prizes.
Our guides usually come from a theatre background, so the tour feels more like a fun play than a lecture. It’s relaxed and interactive – people often say in their reviews that they enjoyed not only learning about Cork, but also meeting each other and sharing a very human experience.