My favourite spot on our Ireland odyssey was the colourful seaside town of Kinsale. This is one of the prettiest spots in Ireland and is known as the “ Foodie Capital” of Ireland so pack your stretchy pants.
Before we drove into Kinsale town we stopped at the site of the Lusitania memorial, a tribute to the passengers lost when the Lusitania was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland. Nearly 1200 people were killed, including 128 Americans and it paved the way for America’s entry into the war.
Set high on a cliff with breathtaking views of the Old Head Golf Course and the wild Irish coastline the memorial contains artifacts and stories. Although a solemn place to visit it’s historically significant and a reminder of the horrors of war. I thoroughly recommend it if you are in the area.
Driving into the little town of Kinsale we were surprised by the number of tourist coaches. We soon found out it was Market Day so the place was teeming with visitors. Luckily for us we were staying a few nights at the lovely Giles Norman House. This was a very comfortable and central spot to begin our exploring.
Shops, boutiques, bookstores and restaurants abound in Kinsale. They are all so quaint, colourful and interesting you could spend a whole day exploring. Several of the restaurants are Michelin starred so make sure to book your favourites before you arrive. For breakfast try Lemon Leaf, Cosy Cafe and Le Bistro. Great coffee can be found at Collectors and Wild and Tame.
In the evening we wandered a couple of doors down from our accomodation to the inviting Wine Buff. We were greeted warmly by the lovely Kate who pointed us towards some lovely drops. She even secured us a table for dinner at the wonderful Finns’ Farmcuts, where I enjoyed some delicious lamb. We ended up popping in to the Wine Buff most nights and buying a few bottles to take home.
After all the beautiful food and wine, we decided to walk the Scilly Walk up to the Old Fort. We saw some amazing homes along the way, and the views across the water and back towards town and the bobbing sailboats were amazing. It was hard to miss the bright yellow pub, The Spaniard.
Reaching the top we were blown away by the scale of the fort. This was a serious stronghold. Views again were magnificent. We spent hours here exploring on a beautiful fine day. We took the easier but equally scenic walk back to Kinsale and enjoyed exploring bookshops and buying a few trinkets.
On our last night in this lovely place we visited the warm and quirky Bar and restaurant, Bia for dinner, once again following the all knowing Kate’s suggestion. It’s quite a seafood -centric menu so Paul enjoyed a roasted hake while I loved my pesto gnocchi. We both enjoyed a delicious dessert.
Our last day involved one last wander around the town before a fabulous breakfast at Lemon Leaf. We reminisced about all the places we’d love to visit when we were next in town and took the local suggestion to drive to Galway via Kenmare. A good holiday always leaves you wanting more and Kinsale managed to steal a bit of our hearts. We hope to return again.
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