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Written by cashew on 01 Mar, 2004
Ballinspittle is small village near the south coast of County Cork. Located about 10 miles from Kinsale and 25 miles from Clonakilty, it has history, character and real life bursting from the seams. Some would say its name was put on the map in 1985 when…Read More
Ballinspittle is small village near the south coast of County Cork. Located about 10 miles from Kinsale and 25 miles from Clonakilty, it has history, character and real life bursting from the seams.
Some would say its name was put on the map in 1985 when a young schoolgirl saw the Virgin Mary "move" in the grotto outside the village. I have heard many residents of the parish say that their little village is world famous because of this event, but I have yet to hear of anyone outside of Ireland who knows of the moving statue of Ballinspittle. Of course, I am only from Nebraska so what do I know?
Ballinspittle has everything one needs to survive: a market, a post office, and 3 pubs. Hurley's is the largest pub and serves above average pub food during the day. It houses a small pool table, darts and ample seating except when local musicians take the stage. The usually younger crowd at Hurley's takes on the older "boys" from the Corner House in the annual darts tournament. The Corner House (located on the corner of two streets which I assume have names, but probably few people know) is the place to visit if you want to hear good gossip on just about anyone or the latest news on the GAA club. The "other" pub is Nash's and although it does not participate in the darts tournament with Hurley's and The Corner House, it does its fair share of competing. Nash's has so much character it's hard not to like. Low ceilings, sloping wood floors and photos of past events make this pub a great spot to have a quiet chat or to laugh over who did what to who and when. And now with the newly opened second floor, Nash's attracts pool players and bigger music acts.
Much like many villages in Ireland, farming is the leading industry and shapes the landscape and community accordingly. Tractors and trucks are constantly moving through town, usually stopping at the co-op for supplies and gossip. The roads surrounding the town are fine for traveling, but be on the lookout for cows crossing the road around milking time! Getting to Ballinspittle is easy enough if you have a car, but would require either a cab or a bit of hitching to get there as buses do not go through the village.
People seeking a bit of outdoor adventure should stop by the Ballinspittle forest just outside the village. It’s small and easy to miss, but has a picnic area and something resembling a trail that wanders around the cool, moisture heavy forest. For those interested in sun-bathing or swimming, Garrettstown beach is about a mile away from the village which is crowded with holiday makers during the summer months Hiking along the cliffs near the beach was a favorite activity of mine and shouldn’t be missed. A small hike along the cliffs to the west of the beach is probably the best location to watch the sunset I have ever seen.