Youghal, or Eochaill, (pronounced: YAWL), is a small seaside resort/port at the mouth of the river…read moreBlackwater, about 76km east of Cork City. With a mile or so, (at low tide), of lovely sandy beaches. Being built on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town is quite sprawly, but essentially is a narrow cencentration of shops along a main street, with another running parallel along the quayside. It's slightly run down, as are all seaside resorts out of season, (which I always think is the best time to visit), not much evidence now of Youghal being one of Ireland's main ports, as it apparently was about 300 years ago, or of there being any industry here other than tourism & much evidence of holiday homes. Many tourists have come here since the 1954 filming of John Huston's Moby Dick, starring Gregory Peck, and on the other side of the square from the tourist office is Moby Dick's, a pub of which I have done a separate review of, as well detailing more specifics about that Youghal's role in the making of that movie. The tourist information/visitors centre which is a small low story affair, (the building if not the centre, was certainly here when that movie was made), has had a very modern refurbishment in more recent times, & has a welcoming non-institutional look to it, always a plus for me with these kind of places. It's very easy to find easy to find, and is a natural place to interpret the town from. I'm not sure about the tourist offices extravagant claims about this being the centre of the 'Irish Riviera', but you can't deny the impressive situation of the town, and the amazing beaches. Definitely a nice holiday sun-trap in the warmer months I would have thought. There's a small very impressive free admission heritage museum inside which is very imaginatively laid out & absorbing about the history of this historic once walled seaport. You can find out all about the town's most striking feature 'The Clock Gate', which was built on the site of Trinity Castle, part of the town's fortifications, and once served the town as gaol and public gallows. The lady on duty was very helpful & friendly. I wanted to know what the dramatic far off point with a lighthouse was called. She told me it was Ballycotton Lighthouse off Knockadoon Head. Apparently Youghal is where Ireland finally bid goodbye forever to Oliver Cromwell after years of systematic repression, (it was not long before his death). Perhaps no better reason for a holiday!

We lucked out weather wise as it was a beautiful day. There is a lot of driving to the cliffs and…read moresome narrow winding roads. Our driver was friendly and gave us a lot of information about the area and Irish history.

I booked the Blarney & Cobh half-day tour more than a month in advance, only to have it canceled…read moreshortly before my trip due to an "unforeseen issue." While I understand that unexpected situations can happen, what I cannot understand is the complete lack of transparency and poor customer service. I asked multiple times why the tour was canceled because the booking was made through Microsoft for a company event, and I needed to provide an explanation. Instead of answering a simple question, I was repeatedly told that "all information was provided in the first email"--even though the email never explained the reason for the cancellation. A company that cancels confirmed bookings at the last minute should at least be willing to provide a basic explanation. Instead, I received dismissive responses and no accountability. The cancellation itself was disappointing, but the way it was handled was far worse. If this is how Paddywagon Tours treats customers when something goes wrong, I cannot recommend booking with them. There are plenty of tour operators in Ireland that value communication and customer service more than this one.

This was my favourite campsite during my 2 week tour in Ireland. The setting was very tranquil and…read moreyou could see Blarney castle in the distance. We stayed here a 5 nights because we liked it so much and managed to explore the area including Cork, Killarney, Kinsale and Cobh. Blarney village is a lovely place. You have to go visit the castle and kiss the Blarney stone! There's several shops, a woollen mill outlet and pubs of course! The campsite has a golf course that families can use, clean showers (though my fiancee didn't like the moths!) and a well-stocked camp shop. There are washing machines/dryers and ironing facilties. There was a TV room and a kitchen area. There were more caravans than tents but there is a allocated camping area. We had good weather when we stayed here which helped but I would recommend it to anyone touring with a tent or caravan.

We stayed here for 2 nights towards the end of our holiday, on arrival they were very friendly and…read morehelpful, and as we were camping they said we could pitch anywhere we liked, the camping area is big and on a slight slope but plenty of flatish areas, the toilets and showers were clean with plenty of hot water, there was a camp kitchen which was kept clean by the visiters (which was nice to see), it has a microwave and kettle for campers use. Great position would reccommend.

The previous review is very interesting......This location is GORGEOUS! It is 'self catering' so…read moreyou should expect to 'do for yourself'. It is cozy, warm, beautifully furnished, CLEAN. The view....gorgeous Irish farmlands. My husband booked this for us and our daughter -we are here for a family reunion in Kinsale. I can't speak highly enough of the place and the owners! (As for the shoes, we have stayed in other places along our journey I Ireland. It seems the CUSTOM to take your shoes off to not track 'farm dirt' in. I think it's a brilliant idea! Book it. You WONT be disappointed. (Yes, if you cannot do stairs, this building may not be good for you. There are other buildings on the property - maybe check them out.)

We had a great time during the Jameson experience at cork. The tour itself was well executed and…read morevery interesting. They also provided lots of samples which was appreciated. We learned a lot and particularly enjoyed learning about their method and madness line. Our tour guide was great. Do note that you may need to stick around after the tour a bit before driving especially if you didn't have much in your stomach! We would definitely come back sometime.

I learned so much about the Jameson brand and the whiskey-making process during the Midleton…read moreDistillery Experience. The hour-and-fifteen-minute guided tour takes you behind the scenes of the 200-year-old facility, with stops at the grain store, mill house, and maturation warehouses. Along the way, you'll see the massive iron water wheel that once powered the mill before steam engines took over, as well as the largest pot still in the world, both impressive highlights. The tour wraps up with a tasting of three whiskeys. Ours included Jameson Original, Redbreast, and Green Spot. It's a great way to experience the range of flavors and styles Jameson has to offer. You also get a drink voucher to use at the on-site bar, which is conveniently attached to the gift shop. I'd recommend this tour not just to Jameson fans and whiskey enthusiasts, but also to history lovers and anyone interested in Irish craftsmanship. It's a well-paced, engaging experience that combines tradition, storytelling, and flavor in a beautifully preserved setting.

My friend and I visited Cobh and the surrounding area as one of the ports of call on our cruise…read moretoday. We were only in town for the day and I wished to explore some of the ruins of castles of my ancestors while in the area. I contacted the agency the night before arriving to see if they could help with this request. Anthony Cannon responded to my email request promptly, offering me several fair and reasonable options after obtaining some details about my day. He was extremely pleasant and gave me several helpful tips so that I could meet my driver easily and quickly the next day. Our driver was also named Anthony and he went above and beyond to make sure I saw the land and castles of my ancestors and got us back to the ship with time to spare! This was no small feat given the fact that there were road closures and the ruins of the castle are not easily marked. Anthony took the time to ask several of the locals how to find it to ensure our trip was complete. If that wasn't enough, Anthony was also very friendly and engaging throughout the trip and clearly aims to make customer satisfaction his number 1 goal - a trait not often found in this day and age! Thank you to both Anthony's for an absolutely wonderful and memorable trip. If you need transportation while visiting in the area, please consider A Cabs Cobh. You will not regret it!

The *only* harbour tour in Cork, just opened this year, & they do a marvelous job!…read more We took the Cailin Ór guided tour (not the skeleton boat) from Cork to Cobh. Our guide was absolutely wonderful, so knowledgable & friendly, & she clearly cared a lot about the nature and history in Cork Harbour. Among other points, this was a great overview of the history of Cork city & the environs, and also a good way to learn the geographical layout of the area. We saw estates not visible from anywhere on the mainland, learned a bit about Viking & pirate invasions of cork, learned first hand what the Cork city seal symbolizes, and so much more. And it was just a lovely way to make the trip to Cobh. This is now my must-do trip whenever I am traveling with new visitors to Cork.

Olive is an extremely welcoming person, getting us settled on arrival with a pot of tea and some…read morebiscuits. So appreciated after a full day of travel from Canada. Once settled her restaurant, pub and sightseeing tips were first rate. Bed was very comfortable and house was quiet (although we were travelling during the off season). Having your own bathroom and shower is great as well. The breakfasts were top notch and ample, a light lunch at most was needed between breakfast and dinner. Central location also makes it attractive to those who like their amenities close by. Should we ever get back to Cork we would return here to stay.

I found Auburn House in Lonely Planet's Ireland book and I'm so glad we did! Olive and Kieran were…read moreby far our favorite B&B hosts throughout our tour of Ireland. Upon arriving, Olive was warm, welcoming, and took care of us with a pot of tea and chocolates and a friendly disposition that made us feel as if we were her old friends just popping by for a visit rather than strangers meeting for the first time. She had plenty of stories to share and wisdom on where to go and what to see while in Cork (and the appropriate maps to guide us in the right direction). Our room was cozy with a reasonably sized bathroom (by Irish standards) and a sweeping view over the city. The breakfast was prompt and piping hot - my husband raved about the black and white pudding, while I stuck to scrambled eggs, beans, and toast. Plus, the B&B is located a comfortable walking distance from the bus terminal and train station. I'd recommend Auburn House to any out of town visitors looking for the full B&B experience.