Kinsale

Kinsale has a tempestuous history and the twin forts of Charles and James guarding the entrance to the harbour emphasise this. Nowadays it is a popular up-market holiday retreat. The secluded bay offering plenty of opportunities for water-sports.

Overlooking Kinsale

I suspect the town lost its status as a major port long ago to neighbouring towns and became a preferred destination of housing developers and second-home owners. The two forts are worth visiting. James Fort on its own island is the smaller of the two and mostly derelict now; quite difficult to find as well.

Charles Fort

Charles Fort on the other hand is enormous. We arrived too late to gain admission but just walking around the fortifications gave us an inkling of the scale of the structure. The walls in the picture dwarf Pauline. This bank runs down from the entrance to the shoreline; sheer walls dominate the waterside. Despite their size, neither were ever tested in earnest.