Travel to Kinsale - Ireland - Europe - Culture

Kinsale - Culture

Kinsale town has many popular attractions; it is a well-established base for maritime sports including sailing, diving and sea angling. Nowadays sub-aqua, water-skiing, angling, surfing and canoeing rule the seas. Kinsale boasts four marinas and Yacht rental is available. For travellers in more of a hurry, Cork Airport is but 17 miles distant and the Cork-Swansea Ferry berths at Ringaskiddy, which lies 15 miles to the North.

Kinsale is as famous for its haute cuisine as it is for its location as a gateway to the beautiful West Cork and Kerry region.

Kinsale's International Museum of Wine tells the romantic story of the Irish emigrants who colonised the wine trade throughout the world after being forced to leave their own shores. The museum is located in Desmond Castle, a 15^th century Customs House that belonged to the Fitzgerald family.

Built in 1190, St. Multose still retains many of its original features. The black letter inscriptions in Norman French, the Easter sepulchre, the baptismal font and the reredos from the Galway Chapel are all features of note.

The Kinsale Museum has a great and varied collection of memorabilia, from the 16^th century to modern day.

The Courthouse, built in 1600 is situated in Market Square. This was the courthouse used in the inquest of the Lusitania disaster, and has remained virtually untouched.

Compass Hill is located just south of Main St. It can be climbed in less than half an hour, revealing a spectacular view of the local area and its beautiful surroundings.

Located just a short distance from Kinsale in West Cork, Charles Fort was constructed in 1677 on the site of an earlier Norman fortification. It is a classic example of a star-shaped fort and has five bastions. The Devil's and the Charles', the two bastions facing the sea, were for defending the harbour and both have gun embrasures inside and on top of the walls. The North, Flagstaff and the Cockpit are the three landward bastions.

In the last few centuries Charles Fort has undergone many changes and it continued to be garrisoned until 1922.

The town also hosts a number of major festivals during the year. The Heineken International Rugby Sevens by the Sea Tournament is held in May, the South Union 2 Day Point to Point Meeting is held later in May, the Annual Regatta is in August, the Festival of the Advertising Awards in September, the Gourmet Festival on the second weekend in October, the Kinsale Fringe Jazz Festival later in the month of October.

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