Bantry – County Cork

The vibrant town of Bantry nestles at the head of beautiful Bantry Bay in West Cork on the Wild Atlantic Way. You will be surrounded by lush vegetation , palm trees , and vibrant semi-tropical flowers in this region. The warm waters of the Gulf Stream along the shores create a wonderfully mild climate.

The town is lively, with many artists and writers having their studios there, and Friday markets on the square are a wonderful way to sample and purchase the local cheeses and products from the locality. 

During summer months the West Cork town of Bantry becomes one of the most important cultural festival destinations in Ireland with the West Cork Chamber Music Festival in late June to early July, the West Cork Literary Festival which takes place mid-July, and the Masters of Tradition Festival which normally takes place towards the end of August. 

Another annual festival is the Taste of West Cork Food Festival, a ten-day event in September. The festival celebrates not only West Cork’s unique food culture but also the people and land that produce that food. A pure joy to the senses, the festival is a culinary adventure through the dramatic backdrop of 41 local towns, villages, and 8 islands; stretching from the sandy beaches of Inchydoney, to the splintered landscape of the Beara peninsula and reaching out into the Wild Atlantic Ocean through the scattered islands off Roaringwater Bay. 

The Bantry region is divided into three main areas, The Beara Peninsula, The Sheep’s Head Peninsula, and The Mizen Peninsula. These scenic touring routes bring you along splendid coastal routes winding roads through the mountains, and the unrivalled vistas of mountain lakes, waterfalls, fast-running rivers, prehistoric monuments, ancient castles, and Christian settlements and forts.