St. Patrick's Street, Cork

St Patrick's Street is the main shopping street in Cork. Most locals refer to the street at "Pana." It is home to shopping stores like Marks & Spencer, Penneys and Brown Thomas. It is also the location of the Father Mathew Statue, which was added in 1864.

The street runs in a curve over the River Lee from St. Patrick's Bridge to Daunt Square. It has had this path since the 18th century when it was formed. The street experienced massive damage in the Burning of Cork in 1920. Spots like the Munster Arcade and Grant's department store were destroyed.

Redevelopment of the street in 2004 added plazas to make St. Patrick's Street more pedestrian friendly. Opera Lane was added in 2010 and new facades for the shops were added in 2016. St. Patrick's Street has since received two awards for being Ireland's best shopping street.

Walking along the street, tourists will see businesses that range from local boutiques to international chains. They can stop for a fast food burger before shopping for great deals on vinyl records, hunting for souvenirs and looking at high-end clothing and accessories.