The Bottom Line
The eastern end of Bantry Bay has been a popular vacation destination since Victorian times, combining seaside charms with a fairly sheltered location and moderate climate. It also was the focal point of a French invasion attempt in 1796. Today it is populated by Irish and overseas tourists during the main season. Off-season it tends to be a bit more drab but provides a getaway for those seeking a quiet holiday.
When one mentions Bantry Bay, most Irish tend to think about Wolfe Tone who arrived here with a 43 ships in December 1796. He failed due to the Irish weather, a storm forced his fleet to beat a hasty retreat.
- Bantry Bay offers stunning views of the Beara Peninsula with the Slieve Miskish and Cava Mountains.
- Bantry itself is a historic town with Bantry House as its jewel in the crown.
- Glengariff is a tidy town with Victorian splendor and extensive woodland walks.
- Both Bantry and Glengariff are popular resorts and thus crowded during the season.
Description
- Historic area of great natural beauty, a firm favorite for tourists since Victorian times.
- Both Bantry Town and Glengariff are amongst the most popular resorts in the Southwest of Ireland.
- Bantry House is an imposing 18th century stately home, open to the public.
Guide Review - Bantry, Bantry Bay and Glengariff (County Cork)
Bantry House
Tone's heroic effort is remembered in the former stables of Bantry House, the "French Armada Centre" provides a detailed history of the events of 1796. Which also made local landowner Richard White a peer in reward for his spirited defense efforts. The White family used Bantry House as a family home since 1739 and still owns the property, now open to visitors. Both the interior as well as the landscaped gardens are definitely worth a visit. And the tearoom is famed far and wide.
Bantry Town
The town itself is nice, typically Irish and unspectacular. A huge anchor, presumably ditched in 1796, greets the visitor approaching on the N71 from the South, the central square honors Wolfe Tone and is surrounded by shops, pubs and restaurants.
Bantry Bay
The best view of Bantry Bay can be had from Bantry House (just follow the "Staircase to the Sky", the mountainous panorama of the Beara Peninsula across the water is best enjoyed at leisure. Changing light and clouds can make for spectacular differences in the view. The large island just off Bantry Town is Whiddy Island. It was used as a major oil terminal and saw one of Ireland's worst disasters - the "Betelgeuse" blew up here in 1979 with the loss of fifty lives.
Glengariff
Driving northwards from Bantry Town on the N11 will bring you to Glengariff, a small town nestling between Glengariff Harbour and wooded hillsides. The local Eccles Hotel has been the haunt of choice for prominent visitors - Queen Victoria herself lodged here and George Bernard Shaw wrote "Saint Joan" during a stay. Today the town has dedicated itself to the tourist trade with a vengeance. Shops, restaurants, craft studios and cafes line the main street. But the town has preserved its Victorian heritage and avoided the worst commercial excesses. And for those wishing to avoid the crowds woodland walks are well signposted.
