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Kinsale is a beautiful harbour town just
30 minutes south of Cork City and 20 minutes from Cork
Airport. It has been designated an Irish Heritage town,
having an important place in Irish history as it was
here that the famous ‘Battle of Kinsale’
took place in 1601. In recent years the town is renowned
as a ‘gourmet centre’ bourne out by the
fact that there are over 30 restaurants, pubs and cafes
in the town and each year in early October, Kinsale
plays host to the world renowned ‘Kinsale
Gourmet Festival’.
Even
the casual visitor to Kinsale will be captivated
by its beautiful setting; with the long waterfront,
narrow winding streets, colourful shops, galleries
& cafes and it’s picturesque, bustling
harbour.
There’s a host of visitor
attractions in the town including; Charles Fort
–a restored star-shaped fort at the mouth
of the harbour, James Fort, 12th Century St. Multose
Church, Kinsale Museum, Desmond Castle and the
International Wine Museum. Leisurely activities
such as Guided Historic Walks, Scenic Harbour
Cruises and Ghost Tours are available during the
tourist season. |
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For the energetic there’s golf at
Kinsale’s Golf Club’s 9 and 18 Hole courses
as well as at the famous Old Head Golf Links. Deep-sea angling, small boat hire and yacht charter
are available from the Trident Hotel Marina. Other activities
in the area include; windsurfing, horse-riding, tennis,
clay pigeon shooting, archery, paintball, pottery workshops,
Irish Dancing, Children’s activity courses and
much, much more.
Kinsale is an ideal base from which to explore the wider regions of Co. Cork including the coastline of West Cork with its unspoiled sandy beaches and colourful towns & villages (Clonakilty, Rosscarbery, Skibereen, Bantry & Baltimore to name just a few. This region is famous for its mouth-watering food, particularly Shellfish and Seafood and for it’s rugged, natural beauty. A visit to Cork City is also a must; designated ‘European Capital of Culture in 2005’ it is famous for it’s Theatres, Galleries, Museums and for its excellent shopping and nightlife. To the north there’s the town of Blarney (40 mins), famous for the ‘Blarney Stone’. It’s said if you kiss this stone, you’ll receive ‘the gift of the gab’ (eloquence) – a gift that all Cork people already possess! To the east there’s the harbour town of Cobh (40 mins); the departure point for thousands of Irish emigrants on their way to America and also last stop of the ill fated ‘Titanic’. Further east there’s Midleton, home of the old Whiskey Distillery, and the Seaside town of Youghal – setting for the film ‘Moby Dick’.
Kinsale is famed for hosting a number
of Festivals and events in the town each year, some
of them are listed below:
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Kinsale
Rugby 7’s By The Sea Festival (May Bank Holiday
Weekend) |
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Vintage
Car Rally (May) |
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Kinsale
Point to Point Festival (June Bank Holiday Weekend) |
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Kinsale
Arts Week (Mid July) |
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Kinsale
Regatta Festival (August Bank Holiday Weekend) |
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Kinsale
Gourmet Festival (1st or 2nd weekend in October) |
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Kinsale
Fringe Jazz Festival (October Bank Holiday Weekend) |
Kinsale is twinned with Mumbles, Wales,
Antibes Juan Les Pins, South of France and Newport,
Rhode Island, U.S.A.
Getting to Kinsale
Travel Distances
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Cork City |
26km (16 miles) |
| Cork Airport |
21km (13 miles) |
| Ringaskiddy Ferryport |
27km (17 miles) |
| Blarney |
36km (23 miles) |
| Clonakilty |
35km (22 miles) |
| Cobh |
33km (21 miles) |
| Bantry |
81km (51 miles) |
| Baltimore |
83km (52 miles) |
| Dublin |
281km (175 miles) |
| Killarney |
109km (68 miles) |
| Shannon |
154km (96 miles) |
| Rosslare |
218km (136 miles) |
| Limerick |
127km (79 miles) |
| Galway |
230km (143 miles) |
| Waterford |
147km (91 miles) |
| Dingle |
178km (111 miles) |
| Tralee |
141km (88 miles) |
| Kilkenny |
172km (107 miles) |
Directions
Traveling to Kinsale from:
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