The North Channel of the River Lee is fairly straight. The South Channel has more of a serpentine flow. Together they create an island where the historic center of Cork was built. This gorgeous scenery along a side street named Crosse’s Green is where the South Channel makes the sharpest turn. A Dominican priory was established near here in 1229. Then, the area became a major industrial center until the 1970s when it fell into a sharp decline. Now this is a quiet neighborhood that few tourists see and enjoy.