If you fancy an adventure on the high seas, take a trip out to Cape Clear Island. These are waters haunted by the ghosts of pirates from the sixteen hundreds, principal among them O’Mahony whose clan ravaged vessels along this coastline. The sad remains of his castle sit grimly at the water’s edge of Hare Island while he paid the ultimate price for piracy in Cork Gaol.

Cape Clear Island is beyond the jurisdiction of the mainland as far as road tax and traffic regulations go. The result of this is a motley assortment of noisy vehicles in various stages of decay but still driving. Those that have succumbed to the inevitable lie around the island. These silent testimonies to abandonment are the most appalling eyesores on an island that is one of the most beautiful
on the south west coast.

Cape Clear lies just 8 miles off the West Cork mainland and can be reached by a 45 minutes boat journey from Schull.

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O’Reagen’s pub is worth a visit. Dark, dingy and a toilet that is only to be used in desperation. But they do a great pint of Guinness. Slowly pulled, watched carefully, topped up - it’s a work of art. This is a tiny bar to be comfortable in. Other customers come in and greet you. “Hwarya?” or “Hwzitgoin?” Like old friends and by the end of the night they are.

If you’re feeling hungry, get some fresh hake or John Dory from the boats in the harbour, stuffed with lemons, limes and local butter. Wrapped in the Irish Times, soaked in spring water and twenty minutes on the barbecue, they’re served with soda bread from the village and spuds freshly dug from over the road. A veritable feast.

The Sheep's Head peninsula lies about 6 miles west of Bantry.

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We visited the Timberland shop, which is actually a factory outlet. It was run by a delightful lady who told us the bargains, showed us what not to buy and was full of chat.

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Bantry House sits on a hill at the edge of Bantry looking across the bay. One of the best preserved in Ireland, it provides an hour or two of cultural heritage on a grand scale.

Mosaics on the floor culled from Pompeii provide a classical reference which is further developed by the marble Ionic pillars. Much of the furnishing is English but there are examples of Irish workmanship. Evidence of the Grand Tour is everywhere. An ivory chess set from China, a ginger jar from Japan or a French prayer stool.

The gardens continue the classical theme with a formal design of dwarf hedging and velvet lawns at the front of the house while an Oriental theme permeates the estate at the rear. And Bantry itself is a most pleasant town.

Bantry House
Bantry, Cork
Tel: +353 27 50047
www.bantryhouse.ie

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Mizen Head is west of Schull and is Ireland’s most south-westerly point. To reach the visitor centre (built in 1905) walk over the chasm on the famous arched bridge.

There are plenty of boat trips ranging from a 10 minute one from Baltimore to Sheare Island, or a two and a half hour one out to the Fastnet Lighthouse. Nine miles out in the Atlantic, this lonely outpost has warned approaching shipping for over a hundred years but since 1989 is fully automatic.

From Schull, travel west down the bog road which takes you to Mizen Head.

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There are several planned walks which have been mapped out in a delightful little visitors’ guide. These range from a two mile walk over fields and fences among disgruntled ewes to a ring fort, to a five hour one across the rocky hillside of Mount Gabriel which broods menacingly over the landscape with its twin radar domes.

In and around Schull

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Down at the harbour a modern stainless steel and glass building sells freshly caught fish (hake, plaice, sole, turbot, John Dory, etc) at a third of the price in supermarkets. They also serve fish and chips from five o’clock every evening.

A Sunday market flourishes on the foreshore, selling mainly crafts, plants and food. Breads of every kind fill baskets beside cheeses of every flavour. Especially good are the local blue cheeses made from goats’ milk. And of course the famous Durrus cheese from the town of the same name a few miles up the road.

Schull harbour

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