Fiona Kennedy's musical memories of staycations in West Cork
Fiona Kennedy, singer-songwriter, recalls spending memorable staycations in West Cork, where music sessions have been a frequent highlight of her stays.
Singer-songwriter recalls time well spent in West Cork
One of my earliest memories is waking up in the renovated coach of an old train salvaged from the West Cork railway, and peeping through the oval shaped window to see the morning glory of Owenahincha beach spread out in front of me.
I must have been only four years old but that vivid memory was how my love affair with West Cork began. Luckily for us five kids, my parents were great believers in holidays so we headed west every summer and that laid the foundation for what would become my destination of choice.
Owenahincha in Castlefreke is just beyond Clonakilty, where the stunning Inchydoney beach tempts surfers and swimmers alike. Owenahincha is a quieter spot though, where parking is usually easier to find at peak times.
The nearby Long Strand with its endless swathes of sand dunes is a gorgeous place for a walk followed by a snack from The Fish Basket, which is right on the beach. Don’t swim here though. Take heed of the warning signs. A frightening experience of being pulled out to sea on an inflatable lilo, from that beach, remains in my memory bank to this day.
If you travelled no further west than here, you would still have a great fun-filled holiday with the vibrant, cosmopolitan town of Clonakilty on your doorstep. You’ll be spoilt for choice with the selection of accommodation, and the family-run Dunmore House and Fernhill House are favourites with us. Music is the magic sauce that brings people together in Clon though.
As a teenager, I sat in on sessions in the iconic Shanley’s pub and was blown away by the incredible artists who dropped in to jam there. It’s still the kind of place where big names in the music industry love to stop for a pint and a few tunes with the very talented local musicians.
Wonderful guitarist Bill Shanley, who has played with many of the greats, including Mary Black and Gilbert O’Sullivan, followed in his dad Mossie’s footsteps in creating a relaxed West Cork escape for celebrated musicians to chill out and jam with himself and the best of local talent. The quirky De Barras is a bigger music venue where I’ve also played myself over the years and it hosts some amazing acts.
A mighty night out guaranteed! West Cork bubbles over with festivals during the summer months, but Clonakilty Guitar Festival in September is one of the best, bringing together top international performers and superb Irish musicians.
When we’re away for a few days ourselves though, with the duchess on board (that’s our little blonde-haired and very moody dachshund) we always travel further west along the road. This brings us through the bustling town of Skibbereen with its fantastic farmers’ market on a Saturday morning and along past the stretch of the Ilen river, where our Olympic rowing heroes the O’Donovans train.
The road through Ballydehob, Schull and on to Crookhaven and the Mizen at the very tip of the peninsula is laid out before you. It’s ridiculous, I know, for a grown woman, but I still always get that little bubble of excitement at this part of the journey. I think it must be the mixture of memories and of what lies ahead that gets to me every time.
When my days of holidaying with the parents were done, hitch-hiking to Crookhaven was the order of the day. There could be seven or eight of us, along with as many guitars and a few dodgy tents.
The late great Billy O’Sullivan’s pub in Crook was the place to be. Those nights when I’d be lashing out the songs and the entire bar singing along with me, sowed the seeds for my lifelong passion for performing and entertaining.
Waking up roasting in the tent in the morning, the sun belting down on the canvas and the dew burning off the land was the start of another day full of music and possibilities.
When we ended up getting an invitation to start the session in The Barleycove Beach Hotel there were a few logistics to consider though. Barleycove is an idyllic golden strand surrounded by sand dunes where we used to set up camp every summer.
However, to get across to the hotel from our nest in the dunes required crossing a lagoon which is just a stream at low tide, but at high tide, came up to my neck.
There was some craic getting back to the tents, holding our guitars up over our heads while wading through the water in the moonlight. These days there’s a floating pontoon that gets you across (even if it is a bit wobbly) and the duchess has to be carried over. No shakey bridges for her! The title track of my album The Beach is written about those golden days; they passed so quickly, but played such a huge part in my formative years.
As an adult now, with my two daughters having flown the nest, the lovely village of Schull is usually our go-to spot. When the girls were teenagers, they loved it too and made their own great memories here. When they were just babies, I often played on the back of a lorry before the terrier race up the main street for Schull festival, and at our music sessions in The Bunratty Inn there was standing room only.
In recent times, Schull has become a hotspot for celebs like Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal, but it hasn’t lost its West Cork charm. You’ll be treated the same as everyone else here, with warmth, friendliness and feisty slagging thrown in for good measure.
My better half is at his happiest sitting outside Hackett’s pub watching the world go by. The Schull Harbour Hotel has some dog-friendly rooms too, which we’ve enjoyed. I can’t persuade himself or the dog to chance camping though.
