Cork’s Southwestern Peninsulas
The five southwestern peninsulas of Ireland are (from South to North): the Mizen Peninsula, Sheep’s Head Peninsula, the Beara Peninsula, the Iveragh Peninsula and the Dingle Peninsula.
The Mizen Peninsula, formerly known as the Ivagha Peninsula, is sparsely populated and ruggedly beautiful. Edith Somerville described it as “a boar’s tusk thrusting out from the lower lip of Ireland”. It is remarkable for its geology, wildlife, pre-Christian and historical heritage.
Many charming walks and cycle routes touch the coastline in this area, offering stunning views of the islands and the distant Fastnet Rock.
In the waters beyond there is good fishing from chartered boats, with a large variety of fish including several types of shark being caught
A tour of the Mizen Ring is highly recommended.
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Schull Harbour is a natural sheltered inlet that is nowadays exceptionally busy for its size, with trawlers and other fishing boats, ferries, yachts, cruisers, dinghies, power boats, canoes and kayaks, and also anglers scuba divers and swimmers all competing to use the space available. The situation becomes acute during the Calves Week Regattas.
Schull (Co. Cork / Southwest)
Schull is a very attractive, colourful town on Schull Harbour, and is known internationally as a sailing destination and charming crafts centre.
Schull has its own fishing fleet, and depending on the time of year, you may enjoy fresh crab, lobster, crayfish, prawns, squid, salmon, mackerel, scallops, and whitefish caught locally.
The two ruined medieval castles formerly belonged to the O’Mahony and O’Driscoll clans.
The ruins of C16th St. Mary’s church stand in the local cemetery on the Colla road overlooking the bay. This old section of the cemetery contains the Famine Graveyard, which doubled in size in a single year when the Great Famine devastated the entire peninsula.
The old Workhouse at the east end of Schull, now in ruins, was built in 1850 to accommodate the destitute of the post famine years.
The old West Cork Railway Station, many aspects of which are beautifully preserved, is now a residential building. Another fine building, now the AIB Bank, was built in the 1930s using stone from a dismantled church on Cape Clear Island known as Teampall Gallda.
Schull Planetarium, the only planetarium in the Republic of Ireland, was gifted to the community by the late Herr Josef Menke, an eccentric German industrialist interested in astronomy, whose family were frequent visitors to the area. The Starshow consists of guided tours given by different lecturers of the constellations at any given time, accompanied by anecdotes, folklore and mythology.
There are some beautiful walks in the area, including some circular routes taking in both countryside and coastal scenery. Schull Reservoir is a pleasant place for a stroll, with lovely views
It is possible to charter a boat for sea angling, and diving trips will take you to some spectacular wrecks and underwater scenery.
Schull is within easy reach of Ballydehob on ByRoute 1.
From Schull a scenic inland route passes Mount Gabriel to Drishane Bridge on Dunmanway Bay near Durrus, an ideal spot to begin a tour of the Sheep’s Head / Muntervary Peninsula.
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Goleen (An Goilin – “the little inlet”) started as a crossroads where a cattle fair was regularly held; all the houses along the unusually wide main street were originally built as shops. Although the harbour dries at low tide, giving great feeding for a variety of wildlife including fox and pheasant, there is a deepwater quay at the entrance to accommodate fishing boats and yachts. The village is noted for its self-catering accommodation facilities, pubs and restaurants. It makes an attractive base for exploring the beautiful coastline of this part of West Cork.
Crookhaven, located on the `crook’ of the Mizen Peninsula, has a large and sheltered harbour where for centuries ships stocked up with provisions before crossing the Atlantic, and vessels from America found out from agents where their cargo was to be delivered. At the beginning of the C20th it was said that you could cross Crookhaven Harbour on the decks of boats, and 700 people lived and worked locally, compared to 29 permanent residents today. Saint Brendan the Navigator is said to have set sail from this harbour. Marconi sent his first message to America from here. The visitor can relax by the quayside and watch the yachts or the fishing boats bringing in lobsters for export to France.
Barley Cove / Barleycove, on the Mizen Peninsula, said to be the best beach in West Cork, is a long sheltered sandy bay backed by sand dunes, reputedly thrown up in the tidal wave that swept Europe after the earthquake in Lisbon in 1755. Today the dunes have been partially eroded but are protected like much of the coastal area here as European designated Special Areas of Conservation. The road goes to the east of the beach across a causeway bisecting a lagoon called Lissagriffin Lakes to the tiny hamlet of Dough. Flocks of oystercatchers and other wading birds wander the mudflats here at low tide, and the lagoon is fringed with tall rushes that are blown nearly flat by winter gales.
Mizen Head (Carn Uí Néid), a spectacular location with its folded rocks and 700ft cliffs, is both the southernmost and “southwesternmost” point in mainland Ireland, and enjoys exceptionally clear waters, magnificent sunsets and stunning ocean views. Watch out for kittiwakes, gannets, choughs, seals, dolphins and whales. The rugged promontory is reached down a steep pathway known as The 99 steps. Fortunately, there is an easier return path for the less energetic. There is a lighthouse, a weather station, and an old signalling station, now a museum (”Mizen Vision!”), linked to the mainland by an alarming looking but actually remarkably solid arched metal suspension bridge.
Three Castle Head, overlooking Dunlough Bay is named for three C15th Tower Houses with curtain walling, built on the site of a Bronze Age fort beside a cliff top lake. Access is restricted due to the unstable state of the castles, but it is worth asking if it is possible to visit. A path leads down steps to within spray distance of breakers that arch high in the air before pummelling the rocks.
Dunlough Dunlough Bay (Latitude: 51° 28? 24 N, Longitude: 9° 49? 31 W) is the only possible landing point along this wild coast. In July 2007 rescue services saved two Englishmen whose dinghy had capsized; it soon transpired that they had been transporting bales of cocaine from an offshore yacht that had sailed from the Caribbean, and more bales were found floating in the area, making this the biggest cocaine haul in Irish history
Dunmanus Castle, situated on a turtle-shaped rock on the southern side of Dunmanus Bay, is the largest and best preserved of the O’Mahony castles on the Mizen Peninsula. According to archaeologists, it is likely that the castle was constructed in 1430 A.D. by Donogh More O’Mahony. It has six flanking towers connected with walls, and, unique in an O’Mahony castle, a dungeon below the ground floor, There are three main floors, each with vaulted ceilings, and the corner tower, another unusual feature, has five floors. The interior stairways are rather complicated because of this.º
Dunbeacon is a tiny hamlet with a ruined tower, built by the O’Mahony clan in 1460.
Dunbeacon Stone Circle is the only circle on the Mizen Peninsula, but it is close to a caravan and camping site. Six of the eleven tall stones still stand around this very attractive small circle, which measures about 8m diameter and average 1.8m (6ft) high. There is also a central slab.
During WWII, a German plane was hit by the Royal Navy’s SS Major C and crashed into Cashelane Hill, Dunbeacon on 5th February 1941, killing five of its crew; the sole survivor was taken as a prisoner and interned in the Curragh (Co Kildare). One of a number to view the wreckage was Miss Daisy O’Mahony from Ahagouna, but she drank poisoned water and died soon afterwards.
Drishane Bridge is at the northern end of a road that divides branch leading to Schull and the other to Ballydehob on Route 1.
Drishane Bridge is within easy reach of Durrus on Route 1.
The Sheep’s Head / Muntervary Peninsula (Rinn Mhuintir Bháire), is exceptionally unspoiled. A wild and boggy chain of hills cloaked in heathland rises from sweet green pastures where sheep graze peacefully to the summit of Seefin Hill (344m). Fuchsias and honeysuckle scramble over crumbling stone walls, yellow gorse dots the landscape and there are breathtaking vistas across the sea to the neighbouring headlands. At the lighthouse at the tip of the peninsula you will feel as if you are on the edge of the world, with only the ocean beyond.
Durrus on Route 1 is an ideal place to start or end a tour of this peninsula.
Ahakista (Atha Ciste) is a mere scattering of mostly old houses in the pretty wooded coastal area around Ahakista House; it has a tiny primary school and a small but deep and sheltered fishing harbour.
Arundel’s is a quiet old pub where you can sit outside and enjoy the view overlooking Dunmanus Bay while sipping a pint.
The Tin / Ahakista Bar, has a lush beer garden that runs right down to the water’s edge.
Ahakista used to be famous for a remarkable (and expensive) restaurant, Shiro, for many years the only Japanese eatery in the West of Ireland, sadly closed in 2001 due to the demise of its owner / chef, Kei, who apart from preparing Sushi and other delicious dishes, specialised in Japanese watercolour calligraphy and paintings. Her elderly husband, Werner Pilz from Berlin, loved to tell stories from his exciting life, during which he had bought a yacht from the prince of Hohenzollern, sailed around the world, smuggled diamonds, bought a goldmine, and lived in many exotic places.
Writer, playwright and screenplay author Wolf Mankovitz lived in Ahakista until his death in 1998.
The Ahakista Regatta is held every August Bank Holiday weekend.
The folly at Drumnea was commissioned in 1847 as relief work during the Great Famine by Lord Bandon, who owned much of the district.
A Memorial Garden & Sundial donated by the people of Canada, India & Ireland stands in memory of 329 passengers and crew of Air India flight 182 from Toronto to Bombay, killed when a terrorist bomb destroyed their Jumbo Jet off this coast in 1985. A commemoration is held each year on 23rd June at 8:00 am.
Kilvarock Garden has been planted with a range of southern hemisphere plants to take full advantage of the temperate climate of West Cork, and features an oriental area with ponds and bridges, a small orchid house, a pergola, a summer house, a courtyard Mediterranean garden with a campanile, and a tranquil woodland garden.
Kilcrohane is the peninsula’s Centre of Civilisation, with a post office, a community hall, a church (RC), and a primary school. The village takes its name from a ruined C8th church dedicated to Saint Crohan, who is believed to have been a contemporary of Saint Patrick.As
Kilcrohane pier is a popular place in summer for bathers and watersports enthusiasts. Boats take visitors to fish in Dunmanus Bay and inspect the seals on Carbery Island.
Kilcronane was home to the wrter JG Farrell, and actor Ralph Ffiennes also lived in the village for a part of his childhood.
The Alice West Centre, a museum focusing on the life and art of the late Alice West, was scheduled to open in 2008 under the auspices of Muintir Bhaire Community Council. Alice West bequeathed her estate to the community. The museum will display local artifacts, crafts, and artwork
The Ceoil on the Coast is Kilcrohane’s traditional music festival, which takes place annually on Easter weekend, drawing musicians and enthusiasts from all over the country and abroad.
The Carnival festival held annually in the last week of July features sports days, dances in the local hall and a fishing competition.
Cois Cuain Garden in is entirely within 30m of the sea, and has extensive south-facing rockeries and many rare southern hemisphere plants.
Durrus Cheese is a superb washed rind cow’s milk cheese invented by Jeffa Gill in 1979 and made by traditional methods in the valley of Coomkeen, where local herds provide the raw milk needed to make it.
The Sheep’s Head Cafe is situated at the very end of the Peninsula-
The Goat’s Path is a magnificent drive over Seefin Hill and along the southern shore of Bantry Bay, connecting Kilcrohane and Bantry on Route 1.
