Fortunately when we visited the Shandon Bells & Tower in April we were able to ring the bells. The Tower & St Anne;s Church are 2 separate buildings , entrance is 5 euros pp to ring the bells , the church is free. Suggest parking at the church as parking very limited in the area. The tower is 36m high & to reach the top you must climb 132 steps & it gets very narrow near the top. Each visitor is given a set of ear muffs should someone ring the bells while you passing by them There are 8 ropes/cables on the 1st floor that you pull. If you do it fairly quickly you can create a reasonable tune. Once at the top you have 360 degree views of Cork City which was cool as we could see places we had already visited like St Fin Barre. Its something fun & different to do. How often in this day & age do you get a chance to ring old church bells ?

One of the must-see places in Cork with its famous bell tower that stands out on the Cork skyline. The distinctive golden fish weather vane helps you to navigate towards the church on foot. The bell tower contains the famous Shandon Bells of Cork and the entrance fee allows you to climb the bell tower, passing right by the bells to an outer viewing platform. Because you have to pass the bells at the top of the tower you are provided with ear defenders at the entrance. The climb is a bit tricky and awkward in places but at seventy two I managed without mishap, although climbing and descending requires a deal of give and take between those in the tower! But once you have made the climb the view from the top brings a great reward and provides a 360 degree vista of the City. At the first floor level there is even an opportunity to try a little bell ringing for yourself with handy instructions posted next to the bell chords. On the ground floor you can enter the church itself.

Steep climb up extremely narrow twisting stairs, so not ideal for those who are claustrophobic or not in good physical shape. Definitely not for those who are nervous about heights. The climb is very much worth it for the view! It's an absolutely breathtaking view. Ringing the bells is also a lot of fun There's a small fee for climbing the tower. There is no fee for looking around in the church and it is a very pretty old sanctuary with a nice wooden ceiling. There's even a small display of old books.