What?
My first visit to Ireland.
After a 5 am start in London, we stepped off the 226 bus from Cork airport out onto Kinsale harbour and straight into the Jim Edwards pub for the first pint of Murphys of the trip.
Ireland, and specifically Dublin, is famous for Guinness, the dry, dark stout. However further south in County Cork it’s all about Murphys, the much sweeter darker stout brewed in the county.
Kinsale is a historic port and fishing town along the River Bandon, the start of the Wild Atlantic Way, with beautifully bright buildings and streets against an often grey Irish sky. Though we were blessed with some sunshine on our trip! As well as the more traditional Irish weather.
With and without our raincoats we enjoyed mooching around the town, visiting the galleries, bookshops, having teas, coffees and Murphys in the many coffee shops and pubs, and dining out in the equally plenty restaurants. Known as the ‘The Gourmet Capital of Ireland’ our Kinsale culinary highlights included: Finns’ Farmcut, lobster bisque from Fishy fishy, Dinos Fish and Chips, Monkfish from Max’s, The Black Pig wine bar and Bastion. The Michelin started Bastian in particular was extremely good.
In addition to eating out, we tested our own culinary skills with a Come Dine With Me night in, with each couple responsible for starter, main or dessert. We were in charge of the main course and as we were in Ireland made lamb stew and dumplings.
Also very traditional, and one of my personal highlights of our trip, was stumbling across some live Irish music in the Tap Tavern.
The Tap Tavern has been owned by the same family since 1886 and Mary O’Neill has been in charge since 1974. She started pulling pints of Murphy’s when she was just a young girl and can still be found behind the bar to this day.
The most famous resident of Kinsale however has to be pirate Queen Anne Bonny who was born in Kinsale c. 1700, and a large scale colourful memorial celebrating her legendary life can be found on the stony steps in Kinsale town.
‘History seldom make women behaved well’
When not in Kinsale our walks or drives took us to Garrat town beach, the city of Cork, Kinsale beach and to Charles and James Fort, two 17th century fortresses used to defend Kinsale against the Spanish invasion.
Garret town beach
Make shift rounders with a scavenged stick as our bat and an exhilarating swim in the (very cold!) Atlantic sea.
Cork
Kinsale beach
Charles Fort
James Fort
