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Kinsale, Co. Cork
History
Set on Kinsale Harbour, Charles Fort is a fine example of 17th
century fortification in Ireland. Its
original purpose was as a coastal defense against foreign naval forces. Because there is higher land inland, the fort
is sensitive to a land-based attack.
Charles Fort and James Fort, across the water, form a
gateway to Kinsale Harbour. Whoever
occupies these points control passageway through the Harbour. The English forces won both sites at the
Battle of Kinsale in 1601, and soon after began building the forts.
James Fort is a regular pentagonal design with five
bastions.
Charles Fort was influenced by European designs, especially
those of Sebastien de Vaugan (1633-1707), who was the Chief Engineer of Louis
XIV. The construction of the ramparts,
bastions, and covered way at Charles Fort follow Vaugan's principles. But instead of using a pentagonal design, the
fort shape was adapted to suit the landscape.
The fort is a star shape with five bastions.
Description
I opted for a self-guided tour. The main exhibition is in the Barrack
stores. Read about the architectural
history of the fortress. See the
building plans and learn where the design philosophy originated. Learn the history of these men, see their worn
uniforms, and get a feeling for the hard lives they led. Soldiers were not encouraged to marry, yet
some did, and their wives accompanied them.
See actual World War II camping equipment. Watch audio-visuals A Soldier's Life and Irish
Soldiers.
I then freely wandered the grounds, visiting soldier's
quarters and all the bastions. It is a
great place to use your imagination.
Guided tours are also available, departing from the Gate
House.
Afterwards, mull over your thoughts and a cup of tea at the Tea
Rooms; they serve sandwiches and scones.
Sit inside the pretty stone cottage with wooden rafters and white-washed
walls or at the tables outside, watching the sailboats float by freely into the
Harbour.
How to get there
Just 3km from Kinsale.
By car:
From Kinsale, take R600 road toward Charles Fort.
By bus:
See www.buseireann.ie
website for all current travel details and restrictions.
Opening times
Mid March-October, daily from 10AM-6PM (last admission 45 minutes
before closing).
November to Mid March, daily from 10AM-5PM (last admission
45 minutes before closing).
Admission fee
Adult 3.70 euro
Senior Citizen/Group* 2.60 euro
Child/Student 1.30 euro
Family 8.70 euro
*Group must be 20 or more.
Address
Charles Fort
Summer Cove
Kinsale
Co. Cork
Tel: +353 (0)21 4772263
My experience
Eilis O'Connell's sculptures on display on the fort grounds
for Kinsale Arts Week. I really liked
the juxtaposition of old and new - it lightened up the space for me. At first, I was reluctant to tour the fort
because it was a material reminder of a long history of English
oppression. It was the largest and most
intimidating structure we toured in all of our travels, built solely for military
dominion over the colonized lands and people.
So I had a lot of negative emotions as I wander through the space.
I started to imagine the individual soldier's lives; how
they mattered little to the war machine.
Remembering the words to the Bob Dylan poem Masters of War, sung in operatic style at the West Cork Chamber
Music Festival in Bantry, the fort ruins echoed with the lives of the
soldiers. The quiet quarters spoke of a
turmoil and a might that they had been apart of, and that many of them had died
for. It was eerie to be there afterwards,
like walking a war-torn city after a bomb.
The sculptures helped bring me back into the present,
widening my awareness that the fort is no longer used for defense
purposes. Today, Charles Fort a place to
wander into the past. It is also a place
for tourists to sun themselves on the lawn, while kids drop their ice cream
cones, and moms to drink tea and talk. I
feel so thankful that the past is the past.
I sat at the Gate House on a bench, waiting for my travel
companion to finish touring. The birds
were making a lot of noise. I observed
how they'd created a nest in the space.
They kept swooping in and up to feed their young. Such fragile life, yet so resilient, hanging
in the corner above the busy ticket office door.
Written by Liz O' Malley - Summer of Travel 2007
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