Kinsale The Little Port That Could

What a little gem this town is.  We came in last night under cover of darkness.  In the morning, the little streets glisten from the prevalent "Irish Mist".  We took a walking tour with local historian Don Herlighy, and he kept us enthralled with the history of the town from medieval times to now.  We walked around the old walls of the town and learned how the water level and the politics had changed over the centuries. Kinsale was a port that was used to victual ships before long journeys, and barrels were used to store those victuals.  Kinsale was a large producer of barrels and firkins.  He explained the importance of the barrel in the previous centuries and how battles were won and lost on the quality of barrel staves.    

Don recommended that we visit the Charles and James Forts which protected the valuable harbour.  Maureen was so taken with the place, that she has applied to a hospital in the Fort.

It was raining sideways at Charles Fort but we had a good look around and figured out the soldiers had a pretty hard life in one of these forts. 

 Next stop before Jim hopped on a train to Dublin was Cobh.  This port town was the last port of call for the Titanic

The original pier from which the last Titanic passengers embarked.