hi there
try asking this question over on the Cork-3 thread....lots of knowledgeable people over there
just search forums for "cork" it's the one called "cork-3"
there was an article in a local paper, not sure if it was around then of a very low flight over houses in the area but according to those in the know it would have involved flying up the side of the hill to get to the rwy threshold......the city lies in a hollow below the airport level