06 May Ballycotton, County Cork
The charming village stands high above a neat little harbour, from which fishermen have gone out for centuries to the rich fishing grounds of Ballycotton Bay. The harbour is packed with trawlers and pleasure craft, and anglers can enjoy themselves with rod and line from the end of the quay, or hire boats for sea-fishing trips. Beyond the village are spectacular cliff top walks, 200ft above the sea.
On Ballycotton Island, just outside the harbour, is a lighthouse which is painted black. At the beginning of this century a lighthouse was begun on neighbouring Capel Island, but halfway through its construction the ship owners who commissioned it decided to switch to Ballycotton Island with the completed Ballycotton Island lighthouse, it was painted black so that it could be distinguished more easily.
Ballycotton is a real hidden gem and is worth a visit on your tours of Ireland.