ON TOUR: Ireland
Three of the UKs biggest budget airlines have launched flights to Cork in the south of Ireland this year. The moves from EasyJet, Ryanair and Bmibaby may look initially strange to those unfortunate not to have visited this beautiful area of the Emerald Isle. The city is certainly worth a visit and boasts a craic and dining experience as good as Dublin, but to be fair is not quite in the same league as the capital. However, what it does have that Dublin can never match is the position as a gateway to the county of Cork or further west to stunning Kerry.
Just an hour from Cork International Airport lies spectacular peninsulas reaching like gnarled fingers into the Atlantic Ocean. Towns like Bantry, Glengarrif or Kenmare offer everything you would want from an Irish trip. Fine seafood, beautiful and dramatic scenery and, of course, pints of the creamy black stuff Guinness. The joy is even more enhanced for those non-smokers out there who do not have to worry about the perils of passive smoke in pubs ” Ireland has banned lighting up in its bars. One the best places to base yourself for a week or so in the region along the Cork and Kerry border is Glengarrif. The town overlooks Bantry Bay and has several good restaurants, bars and shops.
It is not huge, but that”s its charm. Dominating the town is the huge Eccles Hotel, but more personal establishments abound around the town, many with views and gardens stretching down to the coast. There are various interesting sites to see in Glengarrif including an Italianate garden, which involves a picturesque boat trip. Other boat trips are available. Further out of town, a short drive would find you in the Beara Peninsula. This has many a perfect fishing port to explore or several beaches to while a way the time. The most dramatic trip though is a drive across the Cork and Kerry mountains towards Kenmare and the quintessential Irish heart of lepracaun-mania Killarney. Towering peaks, plunging valleys, desolate lakes and thick woods greet visitors as you drive towards the centre of Kerry.
Naturally, there are small pubs and cafes to rest in, but a visit to beautiful Kenmare is essential. With its classic coloured Irish doors, appealing shops and tempting restaurants, Kenmare is perfect for those wanting to sample Ireland at its best. The town to around an hour and a half from Cork, but beware Irish roads are not like English ones despite heavy European Union funding. But from a base like Glengarrif, it is an easy enough trip. Local delicacies on sale almost everywhere include the ubiquitous Bantry Bay mussel and other assorted seafood, while woollens and other clothing suited to the harsh Atlantic winters is available. With the availability of flights from the south-east of England and across the UK, access to this gem of western Europe is easy and relatively cheap. The three airlines think new flights from Durham Tees Valley Airport, Gatwick and Stansted to Cork are viable and evidence from other previously underserved areas proves the numbers will come.
So, take advantage of the new routes and take in west Cork and Kerry, but also give Cork a go. It really is as good as Dublin.