It has been the guts of 15 years since Cork got its own taste of the Monopoly craze. Following on from a poll that asked the nation which county should receive the Hasbro treatment, the Rebel County came out on top. It was selected to be the first Irish county to be immortalised on the famous board in 2012, and it was a roaring success.
However, since then, it has been all quiet on the Monopoly board front. Yes, there are Irish editions of the game with some Cork landmarks included, but we’ve yet to see a specific version of the game for this part of the country in over a decade now. Moreover, with the population of the county growing by nearly 10% since 2016, there are many who will not have seen their home represented.
With all that said, it begs the question: is it time for another stab at a Monopoly: Cork Edition? What would we choose to be on the board of the 2025 edition, and what would we choose to keep from the prior iteration, if anything?
Monopoly: a Game as Popular and Prescient as Ever
Board games may not be the staple of Irish households that they were before the evolution of video gaming, but this isn’t to say that Monopoly is a brand on the wane – or that board gaming is ready to be written off. Far from it! The Monopoly name is still a big seller, with licensed products available across all different kinds of media.
Look at the online casino, for example, where Monopoly sits among the list of live casino games that can be played at a number of sites. MONOPOLY Live and MONOPOLY Big Baller are two of the most popular of these kinds of casino games, and a lot of this is due to the sheer force of brand recognition that Hasbro has been able to establish.
The digital versions of the standard game are just as popular. Monopoly has been released as a console title multiple times and continues to be a success. It has given the game an entirely new audience by incorporating video game assets, such as living boards that emulate a real city. This is still a highly sought-after game.
What Would Feature on a Modern Cork-opoly Board?
County Cork has undergone significant changes since 2012. Luas Cork may still only be at the public consultation stage, despite being on the agenda for decades now, but this doesn’t mean that everything else has stood still. We’ve seen stalwart businesses closed and new favourites emerge, and entire new residential areas sprout up from seemingly nowhere.
There are some locations from the original board that will always be part of any Cork-set board game though. The Cork Opera House is one of them, and Blarney Castle is another. These are locations that are as representative of the county as anything. The English Market is another location that will surely stand the test of time and needs to be included in any future editions.
Given that the League of Ireland is experiencing a boom in attendance and interest, should Turner’s Cross be given a place on the board? It might not be a new development, but its positioning as a modern cultural heart of the city of Cork surely means that it deserves a spot on a new iteration. Does The Dean, one of the county’s most luxurious hotels, warrant a square?
Why Retread an Old Board Game Idea in 2025?
Cork is more than just home to the country’s second city. It’s a jewel in the nation’s crown when it comes to tourism. Every year, millions of visitors are welcomed to the county, and few leave without falling in love with the area. However, so many still struggle to look outside of the Pale when it comes to visiting Ireland, and a new board game could help with that.
Introducing a new generation to all the wonderful things that the county has to offer is a great way to advertise great spots to visit. It’s a form of tourism marketing that can’t be matched. It can serve as a bucket list of locations for players seeking to experience all that Cork has to offer. Plus, it’s always nice to see your local area represented on the big stage.
