europe – michellebeesley.com

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.

First Stop -Dublin

It has been a lifelong dream to visit Ireland. My family are Parnell’s …which is a very famous Irish name. So when my son procured tickets to the Oasis concert in Dublin for he and his dad I had to tag along. From the moment we arrived we were amazed by the friendly people, wonderful scenery and unbelievably great weather, food, cafe & pub vibes and the rich art & culture.

Day One

Day One saw us hitting the main streets and searching for the Parnell statue, the buzzy Temple Bar area and strolling along the banks of the Liffey. The first thing we noticed was how walkable this city was and how easy to get around. We stayed across the river from Temple Bar so could pop over for a bit of action and then return to our quieter hotel for the night.

Day Two

One of the highlights of any visit to Dublin is to see the amazing Book of Kells. It is a masterpiece of medieval art created by Celtic monks around 800AD. I may have shed a tear. We also toured Trinity College and its fabulous Long Room, an amazing library which contains 4.5 million books and the famous Brian Boru harp. It also has the impressive Gaia installation. A bookworm’s dream come true. In the evening we enjoyed our visit to Marco Pierre White’s Steakhouse and Grill. Sitting outside in a prime spot and watching the world go by was a ‘ pinch me’ moment. I ordered a delicious chicken dish with a light broth and an amazing selection of summer vegetables, with nary a potato in sight. Although we did add a side of the beef dripping chips for a local flavour. A lovely night out!

Day Three

Day three dawned clear and bright. Another blue sky day. Where was the famous Irish rain? Locals warned of a heatwave. The temperature could soar to 25 degrees!!

We took the opportunity to visit Parnell Square and the Memorial Garden before a visit to the lovely St Stephen’s Green. A snaking line of OASIS fans wound along outside the nearby merchandise shop reminding us that the concert was nigh. Oasis music was playing in every shop, bar and restaurant. Excitement was building for the big show.

The afternoon was spent at Dublin Castle. This castle is right in the centre of the city and is absolutely beautiful. I was very impressed with this structure constructed in the early thirteenth century and added to over time. It was built on the site of a Viking settlement and later served as the headquarters for the English. The building is a mix of Georgian and Baroque styles and the drawing rooms, galleries and state apartments were opulent. This is the true heart of historic Dublin.

Dinner was the best of our trip! We visited the restaurant, Pichet. It serves Irish cuisine with French flair. The decor felt like visiting a French bistro so of course I had the duck. This was a Barbary duck breast with orange glazed endive, fennel, duck leg spring roll and pickled walnut jus. It was divine. I followed this up with a coconut dessert comprised of coconut parfait, rum – roasted pineapple, passionfruit gel and coconut sorbet. A fabulous melding of flavours.

The day of the concert arrived and we spent the morning exploring bookshops and stores before a visit to the vast National Gallery. We shared lunch with our son and his partner. That night they had a fabulous time at Croke Park and couldn’t think of a better place to see such an iconic band. It was a night for them to remember always.

On our last morning we shared a brilliant brunch at Jay Kays Cafe before hitting the road on our epic Ireland road trip. Dublin you were grand!