Kinsale has a reputation as Ireland's gourmet capital. The Co Cork town also has a great arts week. It's a combination that makes for a rewarding cultural getaway, writes HOLLY HUNT
THE DARK good-looking Spaniard, who some say is hiding secrets in his creaky trawler upriver, takes the guitar. He plucks a Spanish adagio and sings with a deep growling voice. Next a curly-haired smiling Australian belts out Waltzing Matilda.
We sway along, enthusiastically singing the chorus, pints of black stuff sloshing on the floor. A rounded lady with startlingly luscious red lips sings a Welsh song. The guitar is passed on. The resident poet, who has frequented the halls of Harvard and the universities of Egypt, takes his place at the bar, kerchief tied neatly in place, pint in hand. And the merry band of many nations continues its revelry.
I am trying to introduce my English friend to Irish people in a traditional bar, but the Spaniard Pub in Kinsale is monumentally failing me.
The Co Cork town has always been a melting pot for waifs, strays and misguided armadas. Maybe it is the currents of the Gulf Stream that wind their way from Mexico – and that locals claim only really affect Kinsale – that sweep them here. Or perhaps they are returning distant relations of those fleeing earls who made their last disastrous stand overlooking the harbour.
Whatever the reason, they come from every corner of the globe and call Kinsale home. And, along with a good dose of old-school Corkonians, this bubbling mixture of cultures, nations and characters expresses itself in ever increasing displays that are well worth taking the time to experience.
Famed as the gourmet capital of Ireland, and a haunt for money-laden yacht owners, Kinsale holds a haughty air of San Tropez-style snobbery. As a born-and-bred Kinsaler I was a waitress as soon as I could smile, and knew the difference between a jib and a main by the time I could walk, but nowadays there is a lot more to this eclectic town than yachts and oysters.
HERE ARE MY suggestions for a day in Kinsale. Begin by sampling an aromatic Italian coffee and Mediterranean olives in the Tuesday farmers’ market (Short Quay, 021-4771021). This morning cocktail party without the cocktails involves a lot of gossiping and lots of gourmet treats. If it’s not a Tuesday, some of the best coffee in town is served at Cucina (9 Market Street, 021-4700707, www. cucina.ie).
Caffeine fix satisfied, make your way to Desmond Castle and the International Museum of Wine (021-4774855, www.winegeese.ie) to listen to the story of the Wild Geese, the soldiers and emigrants who fled Ireland after the Treaty of Limerick in 1691 aboard French ships smuggling wine. Many ended up making their living in the wine trade, as owners of vineyards in France and Spain, or by trading to the 16 Irish ports licensed by the British for imports of wine to Ireland – chief among them Kinsale.
From here take a wander through the art galleries along the winding Main Street. Keane on Ceramics, on Pier Road (021-4774553), is a specialist ceramics gallery; it showcases work by more than 35 Irish artists.
Finger delicate linens and soft wools at Granny’s Bottom Drawer (53 Main Street, 021-4774839) and browse through stylish antiques and house-wares from France, Spain and Scandinavia at the Trading House (54 Main Street, 021-4777497).
When you arrive at Fishy Fishy restaurant, at the end of Main Street (021-4700415, www.fishyfishy.ie), order a bowl of thick fish chowder or some oysters.
After lunch step aboard Spirit of Kinsale (Pier Road, 021- 4778946, www.kinsaleharbour cruises.com) for a view of the town from the water. This harbour cruise will show you another side of Kinsale and fill you in on the history of the area.
Then make your way back through the town and stop at Kinsale Museum (021-4777930, http://homepage.eircom.net/~ kinsalemuseum) and old courthouse to look at the Kinsale Giant’s boots. It was here, in 1915, that the inquest into the torpedo attack on the RMS Lusitania was held; the ship’s sinking brought the US into the first World War.
By this stage you’ll probably be famished. Crackpots (Market Place, 021-4772847, www. kinsalerestaurants.com), just around the corner, combines Kinsale’s gourmet talents with its new obsession for art. Carole Norman is a restaurateur and ceramicist who has merged her passions, serving culinary delicacies on ceramics made on the premises. The walls are hung with ceramics for sale, and there is an art gallery upstairs.
When you’ve gorged on dishes such as tempura of monkfish with pickled ginger and red- pepper salsa, veal piccata with thyme, rosemary and chive cream sauce, and a rich chocolate marquise with a glass of Muscatel, walk around the corner to the Tap Tavern, to join the 9pm Ghost Tour and meet the older and spookier residents of Kinsale. The tour takes just over an hour and is entertaining for both adults and children (021-4772240).
There are times when summer busloads of visitors descend on the town, choking every narrow street. It’s busy, touristy and, for locals, to be avoided at all cost. But that doesn’t mean the areas around Kinsale are not worth exploring.
Here are four alternative excursions in and around the town.
1 Summer CoveOnly a 10-minute drive from the centre of Kinsale – or about 90 minutes on foot along the Scilly Walk – Charles's Fort (021-4772263) is one of the finest examples of a 17th-century star-shaped fort. Much of the original structure, built in 1678, remains. This is where the White Lady's ghost walks on stormy nights. The daughter of a general, the White Lady threw herself to a Romeo-and-Juliet doom after believing her sleeping lover was dead.
From here walk along the shore to Lower Cove. This route used to be more adventurous, with mudslides, scrambles and collapsing walkways, but it has been upgraded – a pity in my opinion – and is now open to even the most reluctant walker. The sea and headland are still as rugged and spectacular as ever.
Then turn back and head down the hill to the Bulman pub (021-4772131) for soup and a pint as you sit on the wall, watching the dying sun dance on the water and the white sails of returning racing yachts.
2 SandycoveSandycove is a pocket of peace and tranquillity 15 minutes outside Kinsale. Nearly every evening, in every temperature, you will find swimmers diving into the sea and swimming around Goat Island. Many of them are training for open-water crossings in such inhospitable places as the North Sea. If that's your thing, jump right in; if not, wait until low tide and wade to the island, to circumnavigate it on foot in about 15 minutes. Look out for the shaggy wild goats that are the island's only permanent residents. If you don't feel like wading through seaweed, a short walk takes you from Sandycove along cliffs to an abandoned Famine village and a graveyard with one of the best views in the area. Driving back to Kinsale, turn right before the bridge and drop into the Dock pub (Castlepark, 021-4772522) for a quiet old-school pint.
3 CoolmaineDrive west out of Kinsale towards Ballinspittle and the "moving statue". In the summer of 1985 the Lady of this grotto began to sway, and thousands queued to watch her and pay their respects. Many claim that if you really believe, and look hard enough, she is still at it. Continue on the R600 through Ballinspittle to the white sand of Coolmaine Beach. As the tide rolls out this becomes the best football, rounders or rugby pitch around. This is also the area's kitesurfing Mecca. This adrenalin-pumping sport combines surfing, windsurfing, wakeboarding and paragliding. Paddy Buckley of Vertigo Kitesurfing (087-9575668, www.vertigokitesurfing.com) is an experienced instructor who runs wild and wet courses for beginners through to advanced surfers. A taster day will cost you €130. When you are done struggling with kites and crashing waves, retire to the Pink Elephant (023-8849608, www.pinkelephant.ie), a pub overlooking the beach at the top of the hill, for sustenance.
4 Old Head of KinsaleThis wind-blown promontory, stretching more than three kilometres into the Atlantic, has been an important site for navigation and fortification for thousands of years. The Eirinn clan, from which Ireland took its name, kept navigational fires burning here more than 3,000 years ago. It is one of the few landmarks in northern Europe shown on a map by the Greek astronomer and geographer Ptolemy, in AD 100. In 1169 the Norman de Courcey family took up residence. Over the centuries, primitive lighthouses were built to warn ships of the rocky shore – and warn land dwellers of invasions. Now well-heeled golfers frequent the manicured lawns of Old Head Golf Links' world-class championship course (021-4778444, www.oldhead.com). At €295 for 18 holes, the experience is not for those of us with light pockets, but even the drive out to the Old Head is worthwhile.
And if you are into twitching, take your binoculars, as nesting here is the only mixed seabird colony of its kind in this part of Europe. All other comparable colonies are on islands. If golf is too tame for you, try dangling off sheer cliffs. Kinsale Outdoor Education Centre (021- 4772896, www.kinsaleoutdoors.com) offers climbing experiences on this historical site. When you feel you’ve had enough fresh air, make your way to the Speckled Door pub (Old Head, 021-4778243, www.speckled door.com) to taste its mushroom chowder.
** The Spaniard Pub is in Scilly, Kinsale (021-4772436, www.thespaniard.ie)
Where to stay
Trident Hotel. World’s End, Kinsale, 021-4779300, www.tridenthotel.com. Spectacularly located on the waterfront, this hotel upgraded recently to earn four stars. It offers a choice of places to lay your head, from standard rooms to master suites with private balconies. From €60 to €300 per person sharing per night.
Friar’s Lodge. Friar Street, 021-4777384, www.friars-lodge.com. At this guest house in the heart of Kinsale you will welcomed with the enthusiastic hospitality of Maureen Tierney. She and her team provide luxury accommodation in 18 spacious hotel-style rooms. All the town’s pubs and restaurants are within easy walking distance. Rates begin at €60 per person sharing.
Glen Country House. Kilbrittain, 023-8849862, www.glencountryhouse.com. If you are trying to escape the madness of a crowded Kinsale, then this bed and breakfast, 25 minutes west of Kinsale past Coolmaine Beach, is the perfect retreat. Overlooking Courtmacsherry Bay, this Georgian farmhouse has recently been renovated to a luxurious standard. The Scott family has farmed the land for more than 350 years, and the present owners, Guy and Diana, provide a personal and memorable BB experience. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights Diana cooks delicious three-course dinners. Rates start at €60 per person sharing.
Where to go
Kinsale Arts Week. July 11th-19th, 021-4700010, www.kinsaleartsweek.com. An article on Kinsale would be incomplete without a mention of the most explosive cultural week of the year. Kinsale Arts Week turns the town into a living gallery and art space every July, with an array of cultural treats that span visual art, music, dance, comedy, literature, film, theatre, family events, workshops and outdoor spectacles.
Even in our economic climate the organisers are not holding back. The nine-day programme will showcase the town and an array of international talents, including a memorable musical line-up at the outdoor amphitheatre at Charles’s Fort. Among them are the rockabilly star Imelda May, winner of this year’s Meteor award for best Irish female, who will be belting out Cadillac rhythms, rock’n’roll and hints of smoky late-night jazz on July 13th. Also performing at Charles’s Fort, on July 11th, will be one of the most enduring talents in Irish music, Paul Brady. One of Ireland’s most successful living artists, Brian O’Doherty, has been commissioned to create an inspirational work at Charles’s Fort for the week, and Janet Mullarney will be transforming a butcher’s shop into an intricate art space.