Kinsale in County Cork is one of the most picturesque, popular and fashionable resorts of the south-west coast of Ireland. Famous for its beautiful Kinsale Crystal, yachting, sea angling, gourmet restaurants and golf. Kinsale can easily claim its place amongst Ireland's most historic locations for this has been a centre of population, commerce, trade and fishing far beyond memory and record. In its earliest days the estuary of the Bandon River gave it great importance as the river is tidal as far as Innishannon and water transport was dominant until the 18th Century. The estuary also provided excellent anchorage for ancient shipping, which went in peril of the vagaries of the weather. The Town nestles between the hills and the shoreline, a maze of narrow streets, never far from the water and little changed in many hundreds of years. Amongst buildings of later periods are those of another age with historical links to the French, Spanish, British and Americans. HISTORY The Battle of Kinsale, fought in 1601 between a combined Spanish, and Irish force and English armies, was a turning point in Irish history. The harbour is guarded by two very fine star-shaped fortresses built in the 17th century: Charles Fort is well worth a visit (guided tours). See also the old Courthouse, now a museum; St Multose Church, built in the 13th century and still in use, and 'French Prison', the 16th century Desmond Castle. There is a signposted tourist trail to this fascinating town with a guide booklet. Take a trip too to the Old Head of Kinsale for magnificent cliff scenery. It was off here that the Lusitania was sunk in 1915 with a loss of over 1,500 lives.