South West IrelandTravel Guide

Bring your Euro and a sense of curiosity as you explore the small, Bohemian shops, great restaurants and pubs, which line the narrow streets. A favourite destination for international and Irish visitors, Kinsale is hugely popular on our own Ireland tour vacations.

9

Travel magazine, Condé Nast, recently hailed Kinsale as one of Ireland's Most Beautiful Villages. Kinsale, located only 25km from Cork City is also the start/finish point of the Wild Atlantic Way and has been named 'The Gourmet Capital of Ireland'.

Built in 1845 the Cork Public Museum known then as The Shrubberies is located on the grounds of Fitzgerald Park. It was originally built by the Beamish family and was for years their family home. Cork Corporation eventually purchased the house and its surrounding land and used it as a showcase for the Cork International Exhibition of 1902 and 1903.

10

The museum officially opened in 1910 but after the burning of Cork City in 1920 it was used as the city's Municipal Offices. After being used as an Air Raid Protection office during World War II the museum finally opened in 1945.

Today, the Museum gives an expansive history of Cork and covers a wide selection of topics. Everything from barrel-top caravans to costumes of the 18th century, from Ireland's oldest shovel to a selection of Cork Silver can be found within the museum exhibitions.

The Riverside Café has recently opened within the Museum and gives visitors the perfect opportunity to enjoy the marvellous views. Cork Public Museum really has something for all ages and, if the weather holds up, a walk around the magnificent Fitzgerald Park is a must. Entry to the museum is free and you can find out more about the opening hours here.

The Franciscan Well Brewery was founded in 1998 by Shane Long. It was built on the site of an old Franciscan Monastery. It is said that the well within this monastery had was given to curing the ailments of those who drank from it. People would come from across Ireland to make use of its miraculous powers.

Brewers, operating from the well today, still harness their unique output while adding modern technology and techniques learned from across Europe. It is currently Ireland Number 1 Craft Brewery. The Franciscan Well has collaborated with fellow Cork drink makers Jameson Whiskey to create a truly Corkonian beverage a Jameson-Aged Stout.

11

The brewery is where new drink ideas are formed and if they pass the brewers standards they are then served up at the Brew Pub in Cork City. If they are successful here then they will be exported further afield.

The Brew Pub, located within the original brewery on Cork City's North Mall, is currently one of the city's hot spots. It's a modern pub with a historical twist. The original brewing vat sits in the middle of the beer garden, alongside a huge pizza oven. The latest creations from the brewery are tested by the clientele and, if the weather holds out, entire evenings can be spent arguing about the best pizza and beer combination.

The inside of the pub, built on the burial ground of the old monastery, is also a fantastic spot to sample some of Cork's finest delights ...as long as you don't mind the occasional ghost.

Ideal for a lunchtime stop more than a full-day excursion, Kenmare and Sneem both give a great insight into the relaxed pace of life which characterises this part of Ireland. Pull up a chair and take your time over a nice coffee ... or maybe a Guinness. A farmers market with local produce is held every Tuesday from June to September in Sneem.

12

A living-history museum, Kerry Bog Village offers a heritage-award-winning insight into the harsh realities of life for the rural poor in famine-ravaged 18th-century Ireland. Thatched cottages within the village are decorated and furnished to represent, with well-researched exactitude, the real-life experiences of those who lived their lives in this part of Ireland during the nation's harshest times. A valuable and rewarding trip if you want to understand this chapter of Ireland's history.

13

Skellig Michael, also known as Great Skellig, is a rocky outcrop island located 11.6 km to the west of the Iveragh Peninsula in Country Kerry. Sceilig Bheag (Little Skellig), its twin island is small and completely inaccessible. Skellig Michael is a world heritage site and was used as a monastic settlement by monks in the 7th century. Hollywood came calling to the island in 2014 when Episode VII of the Star Wars franchise chose it as a location for its final scene. The location was chosen for its otherworldly appearance thanks to its unique combination of Old Red Sandstone and compressed slate.

14

To visit Skellig Michael you will have to book a landing tour with one of the boat operators. We advise to book your tour well in advance as only 180 people are allowed to access the island each day. The landing tours are subject to weather conditions and can be cancelled if they are bad. The boat trip normally takes around an hour and the visit to Skellig Michael approximately 2,5 hours. Most boat tours leave from Portmagee pier and are available from May to the beginning of October.

Elizabeth Fort was built in 1601 by Sir George Carewan and was named after Queen Elizabeth I. It is located outside the medieval walls of Cork City, Originally built on wood, stone and mud it is torn down within two years by the people of Cork after the death of Queen Elizabeth. English reinforcements are brought in and seize control. The people of Cork are forced to pay for the forts reconstruction

15

In 1626 the fort is rebuilt in stone. The design takes on the present-day star shape and the majority of the fort from this rebuild survives today. Oliver Cromwell orders the fort walls the be heightened in 1650.

During the 18th century, the fort is used as an army barracks. Including the barracks in the nearby Barrack Street, there are 750 soldiers housed here. In the early 19th century the fort is used as a prison for convicts waiting on transportation to Australia. In 1929 the Fort became a Garda station and was in use as such up until 2013.

Today the Fort is a free visitor attraction and a fascinating step back into history. There are different aspects of each of the stages of the fort's history including statues of soldiers, cannons and model radio control rooms. Probably the most spectacular part of the tour today is the view that visitors receive of Cork City and the nearby St.Finbarr's Cathedral.

The English Market is a food market that connects Princes Steet and The Grand Parade in Cork City. It has been in its present location, in one form or another, since 1788. The English Market is closed on Sundays, but open on all the other weekdays.

16

The name 'The English Market' was thought up in the 19th Century to differentiate it from The Irish Market (currently the Bodega on Cornmarket Street). From 1788 until 1980 the interior of the market changed very little. A fire on 19 June 1980 saw the Cork City Council undertake an extensive refurbishment of the property.

Today the market is a focal point for Cork's shoppers. The diversity of its products, friendliness of its traders and its overall aesthetic beauty ensure both locals and visitors to the Cork City flock to its stall on a daily basis. Queen Elizabeth II, on her 2011 Tour of Ireland, made sure to drop by The English Market to take a look around.

Breaks from shopping can also be enjoyed in the market's cafés. The ready to eat hot dogs, from one of the many butchers, are also an unmissable treat. So if you are in Cork and are looking for the best quality food, exotics produce or simply going for a stroll, a visit to The English Market is essential.

One amazing treat that we came across was in The English Market was The Chocolate Shop. A delightful one-stop shop for the finest chocolates found throughout Europe. They are completely independent and are not tied down to any particular manufacturer. They only stock chocolate that passes their standard... and wow, it's quite a standard. A must for any chocolate lover in Cork City.

Spike Island, lying off the coast of County Cork, is a 104-acre island. It is a five-minute ferry ride from the town of Cobh. Over the past 1,300 years, Spike Island has been home to a monastery, a fortress and, most recently, a prison. Fort Mitchel, built in the 18th century by the British Army to defend against enemy forces, dominates the landscape of the island. It is a 24-acre star-shaped Fortress that was used as a base by both the British and Irish armies.

Later, Fort Mitchel became a prison that could house up to 2,300 prisoners, both men and women, many of whom were later sent to finish their sentences in the USA or Australia. The fort was completed in 1850, and at the time was at the cutting edge of military technology. Today, it houses Ireland's largest military gun park. Fort Mitchel became a full-scale prison in 1847, in the middle of the Great Irish Famine. It had also been used as a place to hold prisoners, during Cromwell's time, but the rise in crime caused by the desperation of the Irish people during the Famine created the need for it to become a fully-fledged prison.

During the War of Independence (from 1919 to 1921), the prison held members of the Irish Volunteers. The most famous escape from the prison came during this time when Seán MacSwiney, Tom Malone and Con Twomey fled the island and were picked up in a boat by members of the IRA. In September 1985, the prison was the scene of a riot by prisoners, who eventually took over the island. Hours later, Gardaí arrived and seized back control. The island remained a prison and a military base under Irish rule until its eventual closure in 2004.

17

Today, Spike Island is one of Ireland's top tourist destinations. In fact, it was named the top tourist destination in Europe for 2017 at the World Travel Awards, beating off competition from the likes of the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum and Buckingham Palace. Part of the reason for the success is the Spike Island tour guides. Full of enthusiasm, with genuine knowledge of all aspects of the island, you can't help but get lost in their stories and insight.

The sense of history you feel, as you walk through the prison's eerie corridors and into its cramped cells, is in equal measures overwhelming and exhilarating. Slash hooks and make-shift knives, used by prisoners during the riot of 1985, are on display, along with other utensils crafted by the prisoners during their day-to-day lives. The military side of things is well catered for too, with displays including uniforms, guns and countless documents. Perhaps the most impressive part of the tour is the military gun park. Featuring over a dozen exhibits, ranging from tanks to anti-aircraft artillery, it is the largest of its kind in Ireland and is a firm favourite with both military enthusiasts and children alike.

Built in 1722 and overlooking North Gate Bridge, Shandon Tower is one of the most famous members of Cork City's skyline. Originally the site housed St. Mary's Church before it relocated to Shandon Street in 1693. At the start of the 18th century, the area around Shandon became the hub of the world's butter trade.

18

The famous Red and White sporting colours of the Cork teams in both Gaelic Football and Hurling are said to have their origins within the walls of Shandon Tower. The North and East walls are made of red sandstone while the South and West walls are made of white ashlar limestone.

The eight bells of The Shandon Tower are accessible through steep steps that take you up past the clockwork operating the four sized clockfaces. These clock faces became known locally as 'the four-faced liar' due to the four clocks seemingly never showing the same time. The salmon shaped weather vane known as 'the goldie fish' is four meters long and covered in gold leaf.

Caulfield Orpen designed the World War One memorial and is said to be one of the finest of its kind. There are five stunning stained-glass windows including St. Luke's window by Hubert McGoldrick. After climbing the 132 steps the views on Cork City are nothing short of breathtaking. Ringing the bells that are heard across the city of Cork is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The Beara Peninsula runs along Ireland's southwest coast, between Kenmare Bay in County Kerry and Bantry Bay in County Cork. There is evidence of human settlements in the Beara Peninsula dating back to 3,000 B.C. In the 17th century, the area was used by the British army against the French invasion. There are currently 6,000 people living here. Before the Great Famine of the 1840s, there were almost 40,000. It is home to two mountain ranges, Slieve Miskish Mountains & Caha Mountains, and is part of the Wild Atlantic Way.

19

Located 5 miles from the County Kerry town of Killarney, Torc Waterfall is one of the town's more spectacular tourist attractions. The surrounding woodland is heavily populated with red deer. A public hike leads from the waterfall to the top of Torc Mountain. The waterfall is one of the highlights of the 120-mile Kerry Walking tour.

20

Muckross House is located between two of the Lakes of Killarney, Muckross Lake and Lough Leane. It was designed by Scottish architect William Burn and was completed in 1843. The first occupants of Muckross House were Henry Arthur Herbert and his wife Mary Balfour. In total, the Tudor style house has 65 rooms. After paying for renovations to the house, in anticipation of Queen Victoria's visit in 1861, the Herbert family fell into financial difficulty. They sold the estate in 1899 to Arthur Guinness, great-grandson of the Guinness Brewery founder of the same.

Arthur Guinness never lived in the house, instead, he rented it out as a lodge for wealthy hunting groups. The estate was again sold in 1911 to a mining magnate from California, William Bowers Bourn. As a wedding present the estate was given by Bowers Bourn to his daughter Maud. After Maud's death, from pneumonia in 1929, Bowers Bourn, his wife and their son-in-law Arthur Rose Vincent donated Muckross house and its 11,000-acre grounds to the Irish state. It was to become Ireland's first National Park, known as "Bourn-Vincent Memorial Park" and went on to form the basis of what we know today as Killarney National Park.

21

Today, Muckross House itself, as well as its gardens and traditional farms form the centre of Killarney National Park. The park is open daily, except for the Christmas period. A whole day can easily be filled on the grounds of Muckross House, not to mention the surrounding woodlands, mountains and lakes.

The Black Valley is an area of MacGillycuddy's Reeks in western County Kerry. MacGillycuddy's Reeks is seen as a remote part of Ireland. The area was the last part of Ireland to be connected with electricity and telephone networks, (1979). The valley is located between the Gap of Dunloe to the north and Moll's Gap to the south.

22

The Gap of Dunloe is a mountain pass found between the Purple Mountain (to the east) and the MacGillycuddy Reeks (to the west) formed by glacial flows. The river Loe, from which the Gap takes its name, runs through it.

One of the stand out features in the Gap of Dunloe is the Wishing Well, located between Bridge Coosaun Lough and Black Lake. Locals will tell you making a wish here is guaranteed to come true. There is a road running through the gap, going from Kate Kearney's Cottage in the north to and descending to the Black Valley in the south, which runs approximately 11 km. You can hire private jaunting cars from Kate Kearney's Cottage that will take you on a tour of the Gap of Dunloe and back.

23

Inch Beach, contrary to its name, is a 3-mile long blue flag beach. It is not one of the best-kept secrets but, due to its remote location, is usually only visited by people in its vicinity. If you are lucky enough to be nearby on a good weather day you won't want to be anywhere else on the planet. It is a haven for bathing, angling and water sports. Inch Beach is located 14 miles east of the town of Dingle, County Kerry.

24