THOMAS BREATHNACHSTAYS AT THE CLONAKILTY HOTEL, CO CORK
CO CORK is a bit like Texas. Each is an imposing presence in the south of its country, and each is home to a fiercely proud and, arguably, insular people. It’s hard for we Corkonians to set our sights beyond county boundaries when it’s a drive of more than four hours from Youghal to the tip of the Beara Peninsula. As a result there’s always somewhere new to discover, so when an offer comes up at the Clonakilty Hotel it’s the perfect time to make my virgin voyage to the home of Michael Collins and black pudding.
Although the hotel is in the town centre, a one-way system makes it tricky to find. The five groups of people we ask for directions are more than happy to help, and the drivers of the string of cars behind us each time seem more than happy to wait.
Reception features period furniture, warm lighting and rustic art. The casinoesque carpet offsets the feeling of grandeur, but we are paying only €19.99 each. The receptionist is helpful and friendly, wishing my friend and I a good night after check-in.
He must have assumed we’re a couple, because when we open the door to our room it is a double, not the twin we booked. We are promptly assigned a double room each, to make up for the mix-up.
Considering the price, I would be happy with four walls and a pull-out bed, but instead I am treated to a comfortable, amply sized room with wonderfully plump pillows and a dormer window overlooking town.
I don’t plan to spend much time in my room, but it is nice enough to make me consider staying in for the night.
Our first stop is An Súgán, a local gastropub that has won numerous awards. Even though the place is humming with people, the staff are attentive. It is an inviting spot – although, at €19.50 for my salmon salad with chips, and €15 for a lasagne that is a bit low on filling, my friend and I wish our euro would go as far here as they do at the hotel.
Clonakilty is famous for its music, so we head to DeBarras pub, for a slice of the action. You feel as if you’ve stepped into a Bord Fáilte commercial. The pub projects character from every orifice, with perfectly pulled pints of Guinness lining the bar.
Before the lights go out we dart across the street to the Phoenix, a late bar that, like Clonakilty itself, doesn’t
take itself too seriously. Thankfully, it lacks the hostility and pretension of some bars in larger Irish towns and cities. We bust moves to Lady GaGa without inhibition, although challenging locals to a dance-off doesn’t go down too well.
Then it is a meander through misty streets to our hotel’s residents’ bar for a nightcap, which seems like a good idea at the time.
A great night’s slumber later it is down to the breakfast room for a buffet of cereal, yogurt and enough tinned fruit to feed a regiment. We are then waited on with a menu of hot food, including buttered kippers and the full Irish. We opt for the latter, to give us the pep we need for a morning of strolling.
Clonakilty may not have as spectacular a location as some other local towns, but its streetscape more than compensates. Traditional shopfronts are painted every colour of the rainbow. All you’d need would be a donkey walking down the street to create a picture-perfect postcard.
A pedestrian square below the arch on Main Street features market stalls with local farm fare, crafts shops, coffee shops, a surf shop and an art gallery. We pick up some elderberry juice and organic snacks and play tourist for a while, taking in the sedate pace of life while enjoying the babble of the nearby weir as we walk to Emmet Square, where Collins once lived.
Inchydoney Island is only a pudding’s throw away, so we head down the causeway that connects it to the mainland for an afternoon stroll with some friends we have arranged to meet. Apart from a few surfers and joggers, we pretty much have the place to ourselves – a monopoly on the intoxicating sea air. Seven twentysomethings with dog in tow, we set across Inchydoney’s beaches, grassy dunes and shallow lagoon, as if in an Enid Blyton adventure.
A few hours’ wandering west Cork’s craggy coast is a wonderful way to wrap up our brief jaunt to Clonakilty. The charm of the town combines with excellent value at the hotel for a great stay. I won’t be waiting as long for my second trip to Clon as I did for my first.
Where The Clonakilty Hotel, Wolfe Tone Street, Clonakilty, Co Cork, 023-34749, www.theclonakiltyhotel.com.
What Three-star family-run hotel in the heart of town.
Rooms 31, all en suite. The Townhouse section of the hotel has bigger rooms and broadband, and is dog-friendly.
Best rate €19.99 rate is subject to availability. €40pps is the standard rate.
Restaurant and bar Both; bar also serves food.
Child-friendliness Welcomes children but offers no special amenities. The very popular West Cork Model Railway Village is nearby.
Amenities Parking, function room and ballroom.