Hello,
We are traveling with our 3 kids (ages 12, 15, and 16) for their very first trip to Ireland at the end of June. We’re doing Dublin during the week, but then would like to hit another area of Ireland before flying out to the Netherlands on Sunday. We want to stay close to Cork for an easy departure from the Cork anirport and aren’t feeling super confident to rent a car. Where do you think the best location would be for us to visit all 3 areas between Friday and Sunday (or is that too much)? They look relatively close to each other and trying to figure out which would be the best as a home base where we can easily access other day excursions via public transit. Thanks for any tips you can share!
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I know it has a Rust Belt City In Ireland reputation with some travelers, but Cork City is wonderful for a few days, is affordable, and you are a train or boat ride away from Cobh, and a bus ride away from Kinsale. Cork also has some fabulous food, so don't miss that!
Bus from the city to Kinsale is about an hour. You may want to look into getting a family ticket. The Bus Éireann route starts at Parnell Station on the eastern edge of downtown, but has a handful of stops through downtown and in neighborhoods on the south side, so check to see the closest stop from your lodging.
The train runs from Kent Station to Cobh (and beyond-- you can take the train from Dublin if that's easiest for you). It's a quick trip, about half an hour and the Cobh station is on the edge of the main tourist area.
Right before the pandemic lockdown, I took a one-way boat ride from Cork to Cobh. It wasn't exactly a ferry and it wasn't exactly a harbour tour. It was lovely, though, and if something like that is still offered & the price is okay, I'd jump on it.
While you're in the city, definitely go look around the English Market. Ask questions and snack along-- it's as good an immersion class in Cork folkways and culture as you'll get in a quick visit. I also love the Crawford Art Gallery and the Honan Chapel.
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Colorado Mountains, USA
7360 posts
We were in the area in May of last year. We had more time, actually stayed in two places (Cork and another town, farther west), and had a rental car for part of it. For a single location and a short stay, Cork definitely makes the most sense.
Kinsale: We learned that residents emphasize the second syllable when saying the name. Taking Don and Barry’s walking tour http://www.historicstrollkinsale.com/book.html, recommended by Rick Steves, was very worthwhile. Don’s not leading tours any more, but Barry’s guiding is outstanding. About the time the tour was wrapping up, Kinsale started getting really full of visitors. It turns out that a cruise ship had landed at Cobh (Cork’s harbor), and many passengers had made it over to Kinsale as a land excursion. We stayed for lunch, but didn’t walk out to explore the forts east of town. If you can determine whether any cruise boats will be arriving over your three days, that might help you anticipate how busy towns might be.
Cobh: the Titanic Experience was a big disappointment, despite being in the actual building that had been the HQ of the Titanic’s White Star Line, and the last point on land where passengers boarded before the ship met its fate. The nearby JFK Park was enjoyable, and was a great, scenic place for a picnic and ice cream, except it was hard to find a park bench that didn’t have lots of sea bird droppings on it. Based on having many shuttered places, Cobh has clearly seen better times, but would welcome your visit.
Cork: good things already mentioned above. The Butter Museum was interesting, too. It’s small, but its film clearly explains how Kerrygold butter gained worldwide fame and demand. Nearby Blarney Castle was actually a delight to visit. While the kissing of the Stone idea is silly and not required, the castle itself was fascinating. If your kids want to explore stone stairways and little rooms tucked in corners, plus a great view at the top, the castle’s fascinating. The gardens surrounding it are amazing, too.
When done with Cork, we took the bus to the airport. The bus station is along the south side of the River Lee, at the corner of Anderson’s Quay and Clontarf St. We got tickets inside the terminal, but that bus didn’t depart from the terminal, but instead from the sidewalk on Clontarf St., a half block away. We wheeled our suitcases over to the bus stop, and the bus pulling away just before we reached it was not the one for the airport. The bus going to the airport arrived a few minutes later, and we were able to stash the suitcases in the compartment underneath the bus for the pretty fast ride to the airport.