Kinsale is a small harbour town on the south coast of County Cork, and it has been around long enough to have seen plenty of drama. The Battle of Kinsale in 1601 ended in defeat for the Irish lords and their Spanish allies and is often treated as the real end of the old Gaelic order. The star-shaped Charles Fort, built later in the seventeenth century, still guards the harbour mouth, and you can walk its ramparts for a view across the water.
For a rider, Kinsale is the traditional start of the Wild Atlantic Way, a signposted route that follows the west coast of Ireland northward for well over two thousand kilometres. The town itself has narrow streets lined with colourful shops, bars and restaurants, and it has a reputation across Ireland as a food town, with a strong tradition of seafood and a gourmet festival that has run for decades. The Bandon river meets the sea here, and in good weather the harbour full of small boats makes for an easy half hour.
The road out is more gentle than dramatic. The country lanes around Kinsale are narrow and twisting, with high hedges and little forward visibility, so it pays to ride well within yourself and expect a tractor or a van around any corner. Surfaces in Ireland can be rough and patched, especially at the edges, and rain arrives quickly off the Atlantic, so a waterproof layer is not optional. On a clear spring or early summer morning, though, it is very pleasant, and the coastline to the west opens up quickly.
Fuel is the one thing to plan. Kinsale is a town of a few thousand and does have a station, but larger supply and more choice lie at Carrigaline, about fifteen kilometres away, and at Bandon, a similar distance inland. Fill up before heading west, because the route out toward Clonakilty and beyond has long gaps between towns.
Come for a pint and a plate of fish, stay for the evening light on the harbour, and set off early the next day when the town is still asleep.