A watercolour showing the entrance to the Cove of Cork. The entrance to the cove is shown in the background, with boats shown on the sea in the foreground. Inscribed below pasted down sheet: Entrance into the Cove of Cork. Inscribed lower right: VR del on board the Victoria & Albert. Aug: 3. 1849 - Queen Victoria visited Ireland for the first time in August 1849. The Queen arrived at the Cove of Cork on 2 August 1849 after sailing from Osborne with Prince Albert and their four eldest children the day before. In her journal entry of 3 August 1849, Queen Victoria describes how, while anchored in the Cove of Cork, "Albert went on shore, & I, occupied myself in writing & sketching."