Kinsale & Charlesfort Tour

(Half Tour)

Depart the ship at Cobh driving directly to Kinsale. Visit Charlesfort, an excellent example of a star shaped fort built in the 1670’s on the site of an earlier coastal fortification. There is a lovely view across the estuary to the pretty town of Kinsale. Charlesfort is situated outside the town of Kinsale and covers 12 acres. It was built in the time of Charles II, hence the name and it is a fine, almost unaltered example of 17th century fortification, which follows the pattern of other fortified structures in Europe.
Return to the main road and drive to Kinsale town where you will have a short time for a photo stop. Kinsale has won several prizes - among them, The European prize for Tourism and Environment, Entente Forale, National Tidy Town and Gourmet Capital. Kinsale is still a pretty little town, lying snug between hills and valley, safely sheltered by the rounded contours of a beautiful harbour.

It has enjoyed a reputation as a port of consequence, mainly through fishing and shipping. From the beginning of the 20th Century, Kinsale’s economy declined and many of the town’s fine houses and buildings became derelict.But all was not lost - the story of the transformation of Kinsale from a run down and jaded town, into a pretty, lively and prosperous one, is a story of foresight, co-operation, but above all civic determination that began in the 1960’s and continues today. Kinsale is steeped in history from it well preserved medieval buildings and streetscapes, its 12th century church of Multose and the 15th century Desmond Castle which houses the International Museum of Wine.