Nothing, Nothing about Cork!

If it doesn't meet your needs, then yes, return it. No guidebook will have an encyclopedic coverage of every town, city, or attraction that can be found in any given country. Most people who are familiar with Rick's TV programs, tours, and books knows that he is selective with what he covers, concentrating mostly with areas visited by his tours.

In future, before buying a guidebook, you might preview it by looking at the real thing in a library or bookstore. Then you will know if it contains exactly what you want. It's too bad that you didn't check out the information on what was included before buying the book. The guidebook description in the Shop section of this site clearly does not include Cork. https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/ireland-guidebook

Maybe it’s the language barrier—even though Corkonians speak English, Americans still can’t understand them!

For years Hamburg, Germany was omitted from Rick’s guides covering Germany.
Now Hamburgers are happy that their great city is on the menu.

There's lots of cities in Europe that Rick Steves doesnt include in his books. He reviews the places he likes to visit. Try Fromers.

It is amusing the number of non-inclusion destinations in RS guide books. To expand a little, to the best of my knowledge, the Spain guide book overlooks Valencia - Spain's third largest city. Imagine writing a U.S. guide book and not including Chicago? Several forum regulars - some current and former residents of Spain, claim, in their opinion, Valencia is the place to be. It also amuses me that many forum regulars are quick to defend Mr. Rick for his inclusion/exclusion decisions. Have I been to Cork? Yes, I have. Would I include it in my guide book? Yes. Do I write travel guide books? No, I don't. There is a RS tour of Bulgaria...is there a Bulgaria guide book? No, a mere 26 pages in a collective Eastern Europe writing. There are othr fish in the sea.

We visited Cork for the first time (third time in Ireland) in 2023. As you said, Rick’s book was of little use for Cork, although it was very helpful elsewhere in Ireland. Rick does include Cobh, Cork’s port town, but not Cork itself. How could he NOT include Cork’s Butter Museum, if nothing else?!? Well, he DOES describe the Blarney Castle, just north of Cork, and it’s a better sight than he lets on. Go for the cool old castle and the magnificent gardens surrounding it, not for the infamous kissing stone.

We used the Lonely Planet guidebook for Cork details. There are also helpful Ireland books from Moon, Rough Guide, Fodor’s, and as mentioned above by margie, Frommer’s. We also spent some time that trip in Macroom, a wonderful town a bit west of Cork. Rick does mention Macroom, but only as a good potential lunch stop if you’re on your way west, to County Kerry.

Another note: Back in 2002, when we went to Spain, Rick’s guidebook at the time didn’t include Cordoba. Now it’s a featured chapter in his Spain book. Rick’s books have gotten bigger over time, as he selectively adds destinations to his “best of” books. We went to Poland 2 months ago, but Wrocław, one of our favorite places on that trip, didn’t make Rick’s book. What places he does include are covered exceptionally well. For the notable places he leaves out, we’re used to having to get information and recommendations from other sources.

Not being in the RS book has become a high priority for me in choosing places to visit after taking his advice to stay in Kenmare and finding it overrun with other RS readers.

If it makes you feel better, he omits the second city by size in the UK — Birmingham— also. And for good reason! He knows his business and he is selective. If you want to go to Cork, Birmingham, Stuttgart, Hannover, Clermont-Ferrand, Sheffield, Minsk, etc, there are other guidebooks.

I have followed Rick Steves since he began writing guide books. I've been to his travel center in Edmonds many times, gone to many of his free travel presentations, bought a bunch of his books and luggage over the years, and am truly impressed at the business he has built and how he has inspired travelers across the U.S.

However....I agree that he misses many impressive places to visit. In a way I'm grateful for this. How many times have I seen US travelers in the Cinque Terre or 5th arrondissemont of Paris or the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona walking around staring at their Rick Steves books? There is definitely a "Rick Steves effect" on places he writes about (google it). If he starts writing about additional places, how might they be affected for better or for worse?

Still, I wish he would get out of his comfort zone a bit. I know he is expanding his reach to countries beyond the usual suspects, but many/most of his books tend to revisit and update the same tried and true places. When preparing to travel to a European country, I have found it helpful to pick up an inexpensive older RS book as a starting point but then invest in a Lonely Planet, Rough Guide, Eyewitness, etc guidebook.

But for first time travelers I can't recommend RS books enough.

Mike

Just to add to my last post:

I think Cork is a wonderful city. Going through a lot of change physically with more to come in the near future. It's a bit rough and gritty around the edges but has lots of personality. It's true to itself. Cork is also a great jumping off point for the south and southwest of Ireland. Southwest Co. Cork is a visual treat.

Mike

Mike, Keep in mind “Europe Through the Back Door” was written 46 years ago when Rick was a spry 24-year-old.

At 70, I would be mostly retired and leave writing to a new generation.
I would be out in the field, though, as Rick is, filming new episodes and keeping on travelling!

Kenko. I totally understand and agree. Still, it would (might?) be nice if he or his staff started to focus on less-discovered but still beguiling places (at the risk of over-touristing them as well - it's a fine balance).

I do like that he has increasingly spoken out about how to be a good and respectful tourist and not one of "those" tourists, no matter where you go.

Mike

The back cover of Rick’s earlier guidebooks, published in the previous millennium, said something to effect of, “Don’t be surprised that my books are thinner than other guidebooks … my readers like them that way!”

His books have gotten thicker and thicker over the years, with additional content, but he’s still been very selective about adding any new destinations within a country. But Rick’s underlying message is that he’s trying to inspire travelers to go to countries in Europe, with advice and details about particular cities and towns, and the idea that people will explore further on their own (or with other guidebooks, which he names), to discover more places!

I see Rick's books as things he likes to see and encourages Americans to see as they are the "must sees". Most traver writers don't include all cities and honestly, part of the fun of traveling is discovering cities that others miss.

And frankly traveling is all relative. I tend to love places that many people only stay in briefly. I much prefer Munich to Berlin and Granada to Sevilla. But others have different tastes.

RS is not the travel go-all. I always use a group of guide books.