Definitely worth visiting this charming coastal city with great history. We took a guided walking…read moretour as suggested by Rick Steve's guidebooks and this really allowed us to walk in the footsteps of the history of this city. The food options are great for lunch or breakfast and we enjoyed walking along the coast to visit the military star fortress (Charles Fort).

Kinsale is a beautiful port city located at the mouth of the Bandon River in south County Cork…read more It has a rich history going back a thousand years to the Anglo-Norman conquests. It had been called "one of the most significant harbors in Europe" and should not be missed. Even with all its history, Kinsale today is a beautiful seaside town, with picture postcard houses doting the harbor (photo) area. Temperatures tend to be warmer though mild, with a nice sea breeze. There's a several parks with benches if you get tired of walking. There are also a lot of seafood restaurants if you get hungry. Parking along the water is available and no one seems to mind if you park all day. Just a few miles/km away is Charles Fort (see Review) with it rich history. It is part of the OPS and has a beautiful view of the colorful downtown area. We stayed at Rivermount House B&B nearby, which we would recommend.

We took a short drive outside of Kinsale to visit Charles Fort…read more Street parking was free and less than five minutes walk to get to the entrance. Admission was free with our Heritage Card. We wandered through most of the fort. Most of the buildings were ruins (destroyed during the Irish Civil War) except for a couple near the entrance. The barracks contained two stories of exhibits about the fort, James Fort (across the bay), living as a soldier, and the notable Williamite War. There were scenic views of the bay and Kinsale from the ramparts. Some of the ruins were off limits but many were signed so we could understand what their purpose was. If you wanted to just see buildings with exhibits then check out the barracks (mentioned earlier), fire engine house and the gunpowder magazine.

If you're visiting Cork, Ireland, Charles Fort is an absolute must-see. The star-shaped fort is not…read moreonly impressive in its scale and design, but it also offers some of the most breathtaking views over Kinsale Harbour. Walking along the walls, you get a real sense of the history that has unfolded here--from battles and sieges to its later use as a garrison. The fort is very well maintained, and the wonderful guides help bring the story of the place to life. I especially enjoyed how much space there was to wander at your own pace--it never felt crowded. The guides on site were friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about sharing the history. We would not have come here if we had not been on a wonderful tour of Ireland with Derek of Private Tours of Ireland https://www.privatetourscork.ie It's a great spot for families, couples, or anyone interested in history. Plan to spend at least an hour or two to really take it all in, and don't forget your camera--the views are spectacular! Reach out to Derek at Private Tours of Ireland https://www.privatetourscork.ie/about-us to arrange your tour of Ireland. Based in Cork, they specialize in luxury, chauffeur-driven private tours that combine iconic landmarks, hidden gems, and authentic Irish culture. Every tour is tailor-made to your interests, pace, and preferences, ensuring an unforgettable journey across Cork and beyond. Whether you're visiting Blarney Castle, the Dingle Peninsula, the Ring of Kerry, or the Cliffs of Moher, their expert guides bring Ireland's history, landscapes, and stories to life. From city streets to the rugged coast, we create experiences that go beyond sightseeing -- they connect you with the true spirit of Ireland. We are grateful we found them and they took us to Kinsale to see Charles Fort.

Highly, highly recommend adding this to your Cork bucket list! The reading tour is 10 euros; I…read morebelieve the audio tour was 15 euros. We got to tour the prison grounds and learn about life in the prison, all while doing the reading tour. It was very eye opening, but very informative as well.

I know it's unfair to compare this to other jail tours in Ireland but it's really hard not to. The…read morearchitecture was gorgeous but the history was all quite surface level. I do appreciate them trying something different in tackling the stories of the jail and its prisoners.

Beautiful course and an even better view…read more We stopped by for lunch and to admire the course. One of our group had played before and had to tell us the stories. We ate lunch in the clubhouse and had a fine selection of food. Service was great and the menu was well thought out. I would give them 5 stars but I got food poisoning from the oysters I ate there. After a long night I made it on my flight to Scotland with cold sweats and a green face. I was surprised somewhere this nice had bad shellfish. I'll go back again...but will mind the shellfish.

If you are in Cork and have access to a car, you might as well head to Kinsale. The small port and…read morefishing town has many pubs, craft and photography shops and is popular with tourists. After driving about 15 kilometers you will see a long hill and on the very top, a ruined castle. If you go up walking through the grass heading to the right side, you will be amazed by the view of the cliffs, the noise of the waves smashing the rocks and the smell of fresh air. And this view is completely free! The only problem is a big closed gate, which belongs to a golf course built some years ago that still raises protests as a big part of the land was made private.

Everything was excellent. Great tour, great, and very verbose, tour guide. All tours are guided,…read morefive euro. No pictures allowed inside the tall house!

I've visited Ross Castle twice now - once in 2017 and once today - and it is just as beautiful now…read moreas it was then. The castle itself dates back to the 15th century but has been renovated a couple of times since then, most recently in the 1980s and 90s. There is a guided tour that runs frequently throughout the day, it's €5 per person (cash or card) and runs about 30 minutes. It's very much worth it! You can't take pictures inside the castle but you can outside. The castle is about a 30-40 minute walk from the Killarney town centre. You can pay €20 per person per way for a jaunting car ride to the castle, but I preferred to walk there and get a ride back since it started to rain. Our guide's name was Noreen and she was very knowledgeable about the castle's history. She was able to answer all of the questions that our group had. If you have some time and cash, I also highly recommend getting a boat ride to Innisfallen Island. The boats depart from the castle and it's about a 20 minute boat ride through the lake to the island. You'll then get 30 minutes to explore the island on your own. There is a monastery ruins there that dates back to the 11th century and the grounds are absolutely beautiful. They are so peaceful and you'll likely encounter some deer.

Free admittance with a free guided tour through the castle - and in my opinion although smaller,…read moreBarryscourt is way better than Blarney. Our tour guide was excellent and very informative. The castle has been (and continues to be) restored so you get to see each floor as it might have been not just stone rooms without floors like at Blarney. There's a lovely small garden and an orchard within the walls. Close to Fota House and Gardens this is an excellent stop while you're in the area and you can make a full day out of it by also visiting Fota. Fota Gardens and Arboretum are also free.

BARRYSCOURT CASTLE Paid my first visit in decades to…read moreBarryscourt Castle, an impressive relic of the 16th century court of the Barry family. Impressive enough as a stark ruin in the 80s but now it's much improved and well worth a visit, particularly since there is no charge at all, and that includes the guided tour of the interior. Time was short yesterday so we contented ourselves with a walk around the outside of the castle itself, through the herb garden and a large orchard. There are records of an orchard there since the 13th century and this one, with dozens of apple varieties, is laid out according to the 16th century manner. There are smaller plantings of pears and quinces. There is an information office with very helpful and friendly staff, toilets and a cafe and it is just off the main national road (N25). It is a very pleasant visit indeed and I'll be back for a longer stay, perhaps during Heritage Week which takes place in venues across the country from August 21st. Most events are free to enter, some have reduced charges. This is one of many available. See the Heritage Ireland site http://www.heritageireland.com or pick up the comprehensive National Heritage Week brochure at your local library. http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/South-West/BarryscourtCastle/ Tel: +353 21 488 3864

Simply amazing! Love that you get to walk through the fort underground and love the views. The tea…read morehouse is overlooking the water. The volunteers are a wealth of information.

We had a marvellous time aboard the 'Spirit of Kinsale'! The departure point is found not far from…read morethe tourist office. It was a very pleasant, professionally run, trip around the harbour and beyond, with a great commentary of what to look out for, the history of the area, and there were wonderful views too. The boat was comfortable and not overcrowded. Also, Kinsale is twinned with Mumbles, which is near to where we live in Wales so we were particularly interested to come here.

This is as much a review of a walking tour around historic Kinsale, Cionn tSáile, and the famous…read morepromontory The Old Head of Kinsale, as it is for it's friendly tourist office. Housed in an imaginatively designed modern structure, it manages not to look out of place with the towns vast majority of pretty heritage buildings, and is situated on what was the original quayside of this once important garrison town. I'd come on the 249 bus the 27km from Cork, as I wanted for personal reasons to make a pilgrimage to the Old Head of Kinsale, where within sight of land in 1915, a tragic sinking close to the scale of loss of life on The Titanic took place, more about this at the end! Suffice to say I'd called in the Tourist Office essentially for information on how a non-car driver might get there. The staff were helpful beyond the call of duty, and although as you will see despite the best advice, and considerable effort, I was eventually thwarted in my attempts to get there, they told me about a local historian & guide called Dermot. Dermot Ryan as well as conducting a regular early evening walking tour around the atmostpheric narrow & winding hilly streets, starting from the tourist office, is an absolute gold mine of information. Like the best tour guides I have listened to, he never feels the need to over sell his subject, and has a wonderfully subtle delivery that leaves you hanging on his every word, and wanting more. He takes small groups around the historic town, telling you about everything from Spanish allies helping the locals to fight the English, through wine trade in what was once one of the most important harbours in Europe. Even the 'Kinsale cloak', a famous hooded cloak worn by local ladies from medieval to more recent times, puts in a humorous appearance, with remembrance of the women who wore them being the feared hoodies of their day!. All the time Dermot compellingly managed to put little old Kinsale right in the heart of much bigger history. Dermot was very pleased I asked him about RMS Lusitania, once the worlds largest liner, which brings us neatly back to The Old Head of Kinsale! It was within easy sight of here on a bright sunny afternoon in May that the Lusitania was torpedoed by a German U-boat, and took just 18 minutes to disappear beneath the calm waters, robbing 1198 men, women & children of their lives. There is a memorial to this tragic event close to the R604. Sadly however this is no easy place to get to get to, particularly if you don't have a car for the around 13km journey from Kinsale. Anyway the day I chose to get a taxi to view the memorial, the road was closed. Also after I'd settled on walking, it seemed that the elements in the form of an incredibly strong & long lasting downpour of rain, were conspiring to keep me away. Next time remind me to bring a bike & oilskins! Controversially this beautiful headland point which stretches out into the sea for almost 2 miles, complete with it's dramatically situated lighthouse is now dominated by Irelands costliest Golf Course. Here non members are denied access, although the Golf Courses website tauntingly boasts of it's beautiful natural habitat & perfect vantage point for viewing Whales & Dolphins. Another reason why I hate golf!

Love ruins. I found this place fun and interesting. Love arches and celtic crosses. Huge cool tree…read moregrowing in the center. Unfortunately today had crappy weather and lighting all day. But this might very well just been our bad luck that both days in area were awful weather. Still had good time and glad came prepared with layers, waterproof shoes. Most importantly hooded raincoat and hat with brim and chin strap. It was rainy coat and windy all week. We enjoyed walking around and exploring.

Love ruins! This was truly a sight to see - with a huge yew tree growing in the middle of the abbey…read moreand graves from hundreds of years ago to the present. The abbey is fascinating but do make sure you're careful on the stairs!

There are actually 2 castle's, an old and a new (or newer, its still very old obviously). The herd…read moreof white deer are worth the walk alone, they're beautiful. Don't expect throngs of tourists being herded on and off coaches here, it's not on the tourist trail at all. That's part of its appeal though I think. Recently purchased by Cork County Council that could all change relatively soon. Recommend you see it while you can still have the place all to yourself.