Kinsale
One of Europe's best-preserved star-shaped artillery forts, this vast 17th-century fortification would be worth a visit for its spectacular views alone…
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The West Cork Coast
The West Cork coast begins the slow build-up of beauty that culminates in counties further west and north, but what you find here is already lovely. Picturesque villages, ancient stone circles and some fine sandy beaches mark the meandering coastal route from Kinsale to Clonakilty and on to Skibbereen and Baltimore. Rather than follow the main N71 all the way, take the R600 and explore the maze of minor roads along the coast – perfect for aimless wandering.
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Must-see attractions
The West Cork Coast
The Victorian country estate of Liss Ard is home to the remarkable Sky Garden, a piece of landscape art created by American artist James Turrell in 1992…
The West Cork Coast
On an exposed hillside, with fields falling away towards the coast and cattle lowing in the distance, the Drombeg stone circle is superbly atmospheric…
Kinsale
Kinsale's roots in the wine trade are on display at this early-16th-century fortified house that was occupied by the Spanish in 1601. Since then it has…
Old Head Signal Tower & Lusitania Museum
Kinsale
This 200-year-old signal tower houses a museum dedicated to the RMS Lusitania, which was torpedoed by a German U-boat in 1915 with the loss of 1200 lives…
The West Cork Coast
Constructed on the site of the town’s old gasworks, the Skibbereen Heritage Centre houses a haunting exhibition about the Famine, with actors reading…
The West Cork Coast
A visit to the Michael Collins Centre is an excellent way to make sense of his life and the times in which he lived. A tour reveals photos, letters and a…
West Cork Model Railway Village
The West Cork Coast
You can’t help but smile at the West Cork Model Railway Village. It features a vast outdoor recreation of the West Cork Railway as it was during the 1940s…
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How to see the best of Ireland's West Cork coast on a four-day road tripOct 28, 2019 • 6 min read
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