Kinsale

Kinsale sits at the mouth of the Bandon River where it meets the Celtic Sea, spread along a sheltered bay with harbor facilities and quays. Narrow lanes climb uphill from the water to residential areas with pastel-colored houses and old church ruins on the hills above.

In 1601, a battle here between English forces and an Irish-Spanish alliance ended in defeat for the defenders, solidifying English control over Ireland. Over the following decades, fortifications were built around the harbor to secure the coast and monitor sea trade.

The name comes from the Irish Cionn tSáile, meaning head of the salt water, which describes its position at the river mouth. Fresh fish landed by local boats each day is prepared in the restaurants along the waterfront.

Regular bus connections run to Cork City and the airport, with each journey taking around half an hour. For walks along the coastal paths, sturdy footwear is recommended as some sections cross uneven terrain.

The local museum holds items and accounts from the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915, when fishermen from the area rescued survivors from the torpedoed liner. Some of the recovered objects come from the cold waters off the coast and show the dramatic events of that day.