Holiday Homes & Rentals in Clonakilty

Clonakilty is a small town with a huge character. Quintessentially Irish, Clonakilty offers visitors a true Gaelic welcome. Holiday homes are close to excellent beaches, fascinating historical sites and the beautiful hand-painted shop facades of the town itself. Although Clonakilty is small, there is so much to explore and discover in the nearby surrounding area and if possible a car will give you easy access to the region’s myriad sights.

Holiday accommodation in Clonakilty mostly consists of spacious and luxurious houses suitable for couples, families or larger groups, but the town also offers delightfully well-presented flats suitable for all sizes of family. Houses and flats have carefully tended gardens and open spaces to enjoy, large and airy rooms, and those closer to the coast benefit from gorgeous sea views.

Clonakilty is just 25 miles from the centre of Cork and just over half an hour’s drive from Cork airport. The town itself has huge charm and character, and just a few minutes’ drive away you’ll find exceptional beaches and stunning headlands. Don’t miss the walk along the Clonakilty coast with the momentous views over the waves to one side and the beautiful countryside to the other. Clonakilty is packed with Irish history, both modern and ancient.

The buildings and shops on the main town streets are famous for their delightful, bright colours – a real life picture postcard! The pretty colours create a fabulous backdrop to the farmer’s market held every Friday, where local producers and artisans sell their wares. That’s not the only social event in Clonakilty’s calendar. Notable dates include September, when the Clonakilty International Guitar Festival takes place, and December, which brings the Clonakilty Waterfront Marathon.

Modern history runs strong through the streets of Clonakilty, as the town was home to the Irish Revolutionary leader Michael Collins, who led the struggle to independence for Ireland against the British and is an exceptionally important man in Ireland’s story. You’ll find Collins’ birthplace just west of the town, together with some information boards on his importance to modern-day Ireland. More information is available at the Michael Collins Centre, a museum dedicated to Collins’ life and work, presented in audio visual displays and live lectures. The centre is a small, family run enterprise with hugely knowledgeable guides.

There are few areas of Ireland with coastlines quite as beautiful as Clonakilty. Hikers will revel in the calm and reflective space and the miles and miles of trails through enchanting countryside and over sand dunes. The sandy Inchydoney beach is great for beginner surfing, as well as being extremely safe for children with its gentle slope into the sea. Red Sand beach has bigger surfing waves, and the views across the peninsula to the lighthouse beyond are alone worth the trip. For those who like to travel on two wheels, check out the mountain biking trails in and around Clonakilty for off-road trails through paradise.

The Clonakilty Park Adventure Centre is an aerial assault course with options for different skill levels. The course includes leaping nets, climbing ropes and a freefall of 65 feet with a fan to slow your descent! What a wild ride!

The Clonakilty Brewing Company is a microbrewery with big ambitions. Enjoy a tour of the brewery and find out more about how their beer is made, before participating in a tasting session together with some toothsome complimentary food.

Lios-na-gCon, meaning ring fort, is a restoration of the type of fortified dwelling that the Irish would have occupied from around 400 to 1200 AD. Although no longer officially open to the public, you can still visit it and information on how to do so is available locally.

The West Cork Model Railway Village is a beautiful depiction of the region of old. With a running miniature railway and reproductions of the now long-gone railway stations along the route, you’ll get a glimpse into the bygones of the local area.

Clonakilty Arts Centre is in the town centre in Asna Square. The centre is the home for artists of all types to practice and work, including musicians, actors and playwrights, and painters.