Kinsale.
On Thursday we sailed from the Owenboy river at Crosshaven to Oyster Haven where we spent the night on someone’s mooring in the river Belgooly. Absolutely nothing there except us and the wild life.
Friday morning we sailed from Oyster haven to the Kinsale Yacht Club marina which is conveniently situated close to the town arriving around midday. That afternoon we took a walk around the town to get our bearings and find out what there was to see and do. In the evening we visited the yacht club bar which was well attended by members from 5pm onwards and even more members following a race in the estuary that evening.
Saturday morning we got on our bikes, there was a classic car rally in town exhibiting cars owned by Irish residents and some from the U.K. There were some really well maintained examples amongst them. After that we cycled out to Charles Fort, one of the largest military forts constructed between 1677 and 1682 during the reign of King Charles II in the late 17th century on the site of an earlier coastal fortification. Charles fort is a classic example of a star shaped fort. Unfortunately it is overlooked by higher ground so whilst it may have been strategically placed for guarding Kinsale from invading ships, it was vulnerable to attack from the higher surrounding ground. In 1922-23 it was destroyed by the republicans to prevent it from being used by the Irish national army and their English tendencies during the Irish civil war. It was left to rot until 1973 when it was declared a national monument. It’s a pity it was ruined by the Irish and left so long to go to rack and ruin, as looking at photos in the museum of when it was in use it appeared to be a fantastic place where the inhabitants enjoyed a better standard of life than those outside.
The Irish use a different gas bottle to that found in Britain. It’s taller and has a completely different connector. Fortunately some of the suppliers stock a small number of British type bottles for the marine and touring fraternity. There was a supplier in Kinsale town which happens to actually be a fishing shop. The cost of the refill was 23 euros, somewhat more than we would pay back home.
Saturday evening we were joined by my cousin Jonathan, his wife Julie and their daughter Zara who live in Ballincollig west of Cork. We were lucky to book an early evening meal in a local restaurant that was recommended to us by an local elderly couple, when they saw us looking through the window as they were leaving the evening before looking as if we were hungry. We had a lovely meal followed by a walk around the town and finished of with drinks in the yacht club. We had a lovely evening in their company, the time flew by and before we knew it, it was time to say good bye.
We left Kinsale at midday on Sunday bound for Glandore.