1-Day in Cobh and Kinsale, Ireland

On our British Isles and Ireland cruise, we stopped at a number of amazing ports. Prior to this trip, I had no idea what to expect in Cobh and Kinsale. Actually, let me be even more honest… I hadn’t even heard of these cities! But both of these cities were definitely worth a visit and I wish I had more time to explore each of them. Here’s are quick itinerary and photo tour of our trip highlights. 

Starting our day in Cobh and Kinsale

We arrived in port of Cobh early in the morning and cruised through the harbour past some of the most colourful row houses I’ve ever seen. It was a foggy morning, but it added to the charm of the town. After our ship docked and we found our tour group, we boarded a coach to take us through the Irish countryside to get to our first stop. The drive was definitely scenic with rolling hills, green foliage and picturesque scenery all around.

Blarney Castle and Gardens

Our first stop was at Blarney Castle and gardens. This famous castle is located high above the village and in a large green space with lush gardens and walkways. Once we arrived we had time to explore the gardens and walking paths on our own, and that included time to “kiss the Blarney Stone’. We waited in line for 1.5 hours to get to the top and kiss the stone. For those that don’t know, kissing the Blarney Stone is said to give you the gift of gab – or eloquent speech.

Kissing the Blarney Stone: Honestly, I can’t say that it was worth it, and I didn’t really enjoy being held upside down over a really high opening in the castle. It was also a rushed experience. Since there are so many tourists waiting in line, it’s like a conveyor belt – you have about 6 seconds to lay down, hurl yourself over the edge upside down, and kiss a piece of stone. Looking back, I would have rather spent my time exploring the castle and grounds, but hindsight is always 20/20.

Good to know: if you’re visiting the castle and plan to kiss the stone, you should head there first. It gets incredible busy, and the journey to the top isn’t the most accessible activity. If you have mobility issues, you likely cannot make it to the top as there are many narrow and steep staircases, and less than safe (in my opinion) conditions to get to the top.

Blarney Woollen Mill Shop

After visiting the castle we stopped at the Blarney Woollen Mill Shop to take a look around for souvenirs and Irish knitwear. As a knitter and crocheter, I was in heaven with all of the goods! They had clothing for men, women, and children, Celtic jewelry, Irish Gifts, housewares, beauty products and more! It was definitely a great place to find some truly Irish souvenirs, but they all came at a hefty price.

Cobh and Kinsale: Traditional Irish Lunch & Irish Entertainment

Lunch was in a large hotel ballroom. It may not have been the most “Irish” location, but the cruise ship did have numerous busloads of tourists stopping here as part of their tours. The meal was quite tasty and we were told it is a traditional Irish meal. We had chicken stuffed withwild mushtooms and Murphy’s mousse and a Jameson whisky sauce. This was accompanied by mixed vegetables and and ball of mashed potatoes covered in crispy breadcrumbs. I am still dreaming about those potatoes!

The entertainment at lunch included Irish dancing and a live performance from a local Irish musician. Overall, lunch exceeded my expectations!

Kinsale

After our traditional Irish lunch we boarded the coach and headed to the town of Kinsale. This is one of Ireland’s heritage towns rich with history and charm. We were given time here to explore the town independently. We shopped saw some of the sights, and enjoyed some local cuisine. I wish we did some more research on this area before our stop, as there was so much to see and do. We were so unprepared and we spent our time in the town shopping, sampling some local beer and taking photos in the harbour area. We definitely need to go back to enjoy those historic sites.

Good to know: Kinsale has many historical sites including Almshouse, Carmelite Cemetery and Charles Fort to name a few. All are within a reasonable distance to the centre of town, so make sure you do your research and add one or a few of these to your list.

Cobh

Our final stop was back in Cobh to board our ship. We learned that Cobh was originally called “Queenstown” for a period of time to honour Queen Victoria, then renamed Cobh in 1921. Back in the port of Cobh we found an interesting Titanic museum before boarding the ship. It is located in Casement Square which is the heart of Cobh Town. It is actually the original White Star Line ticket office that the museum is located inside. This is where the final 123 passengers boarded the Titanic on it’s only voyage. You can walk past the colourful row houses, check out the Cobh cathedral and pose with the Annie Moore Statue.

Good to know: the town of Cobh is less than 30 minutes away from the city of Cork. You can easily arrange a taxi from the pier or find alternate transportation to the city centre.

A Day in Cobh and Kinsale Summary

Overall, 1-day was not enough to enjoy Cobh and Kinsale, but it was just the right amount of time for me to get a sense of the area. I absolutely plan to go back one day to spend a proper amount of time to better enjoy the area.