From Rory, Kidd Squid Brewing Co, Sag Harbor, NY:

Feels Like Sag Harbor

Kinsale is a tiny harbor town to the south of Cork City, and in a lot of ways, it reminds me of Sag Harbor. It’s a deep-water port with fishing boats, sailboats, working docks — and a long history that goes back to the 1200s. Grainne’s mom lives there most of the year, so when we’re in Ireland, that’s usually where we end up.

Contact: https://www.kinsale.ie

A Food Town Through and Through

For its size, Kinsale has a ton of great restaurants. It’s known as the food capital of Ireland, and it lives up to that. My favorite spot is the Bullman, hands down. It’s just outside of town, a short walk, and it’s always the first place I want to go. Fresh seafood, good drinks, nothing fancy but everything right.

Contact: https://thebullman.ie

Michelin-Star Quietly in the Mix

Kinsale also has spots like Bastion, a Michelin-star tasting menu place with a small dining room. It’s fixed menu, hyper-local, and changes regularly based on what’s in season or being foraged. Last time I was there, they were doing something with black pudding that was incredible — but that might just be personal taste.

Contact: https://www.bastionkinsale.com

The Local Brew

There’s also a small brewery in town called Blacks of Kinsale. Their Kinsale Pale Ale — KPA — is just a great, easy-drinking beer. They’ve since added a distillery, too. Ireland’s craft beer scene is slowly growing, a little behind the States, but it’s moving in the same direction. Local over mega-brewed, when the choice is there.

Contact: https://www.blacksbrewery.com

The Kipper House

We usually stay at the Kipper House when it’s available. It’s an old herring smokehouse in Grainne’s family, right in town. It’s under renovation now — Grainne’s cousin is doing the work — so we’ve been staying up the hill for now, closer to her mom’s place. The view from up there looks right out over the harbor, with James Fort and Charles Fort in the distance.

History Beneath the Surface

Kinsale’s history runs deep. It was once an English stronghold when the surrounding countryside was Irish territory. The Spanish Armada landed there too, before being defeated. That mix of influence is still baked into the feel of the place.

Seafood Like Nowhere Else

The seafood is unreal. You’re out on the edge of Europe with nothing but the Atlantic after that. Mackerel, in particular — you can drop a line and pull up thirty fish in one go. Plus, there are farms, cattle, and great produce everywhere. Just real, rich food all around.

Ballymaloe and the Slow Food Movement

A little east of Kinsale is Ballymaloe, where my extended family’s from. It’s where Ireland’s Green Party was born, and also where the country’s slow food movement took root. The Ballymaloe Cookery School is a working farm, hotel, and training ground — kind of like the Culinary Institute of America, but Irish. Grainne’s mom actually did the full course there after her husband passed, before I ever met her. Funny connection we only figured out later.

Contact: https://www.ballymaloe.ie

The Charles Fort Walk

If you’ve eaten too well, the cliff walk from Charles Fort is the move. It winds along the coastline past the boatyard — rocky, green, and just far enough out of town to feel quiet. It’s not dramatic cliffs like the Cliffs of Moher, but it’s still proper Atlantic shoreline.

Contact: https://www.kinsale.ie/kinsale-walks

About Us

This card was written by Rory and Grainne of Kidd Squid, a craft brewery, tasting room and beer garden in Sag Harbor, NY. Click on our avatar above to see more of our local finds and inside tips.

Lead-in Image

Kinsale Tourist Office