From Kinsale to Glengarriff, Ireland
Ireland in August – I love it !! The long evenings, great weather, festivals, friends, family and a wedding. The perfect trip.
My wedding this year was in Dingle – the perfect backdrop to a special day. It was at the Skelligs Hotel. Dingle is special, it’s unique – amazing scenery. Whilst my attention of course was Nell & Diarmuids wedding – I started my Wild Atlantic Way journey here and visited the beautiful Slea Head.
However, my focus for this wee blog is on the amazing drive from Kinsale to Glengarriff – West Cork.
Kinsale has long been one of my favorite places in Ireland, whether it be to stay, a drive from Tipperary for lunch and of course to shop. And shop I did – there are great shops with unique crafts and gifts.
From Kinsale we travelled the short distance to the Old Head Golf Course – perhaps one of the most amazing golf courses in Ireland. Old Head is so scenic – I have to say I always feel tempted to take up playing golf just so that I could walk around the course. It is a private course but don’t be afraid to ask can you go in and visit the pro-shop and then lunch or afternoon tea on the terrace. I have always said that I am visiting and always they the staff at Old Head have been most obliging.
We then headed towards Clonakilty (and no we didn’t have any of the famous black pudding this time) via Barretstown and the coastal road. I was lucky enough to have a local with me who took me to where some of her relatives live .. so we took the extra drive to Rathbary and out to Galley Head.
I overnighted in Rosscarbery at the De Courcey home – have to say the view from their kitchen window was breathtaking and so tranquil. I found myself staring out the window, I was memorised and reckon I missed half the conversations going on around me !! Have to say that Rosscarbery is a great place to stay for a couple of nights and also for families – lovely beach and lots of things to do.
The next morning we made our way west again and just when I thought it couldn’t get any better we arrived in Glandore – truly beautiful. I decided I would buy a holiday house here – just have to win the lotto first but a girl can dream can’t she !!?? If you are into your sailing this is one of the spots to be.
From Glandore we drove through Union Hall, Skibbereen, Bantry and onto Glengarriff. We did a little detour here and drove part of the oad to Kenmare – the views from this mountain road were spectacular. A great way to finish a 2 day drive trip of West Cork.
The two days of driving in West Cork were special and I will definitely be back. There is still so much more to discover.
I have to digress a little bit – on the way back to Cork we took the more direct inland route and stopped at Gougane Barra, St Finbarrs Oratory. This little slice of heaven took my breath away – so peaceful. When I went into the wee church I just wanted to sing and enjoy the magic of the space and the acoustics – so when all was clear and no one around, I just sang a verse of Amazing Grace – it was special for me – it was just one of those moments and you have to go for it. The memory and the joy of singing is this special space is something that I will cherish.
