Talk of the Town, Clonakilty's vibrant community website.

Clonakilty town is located in the heart of West Cork, 45 minutes drive from Cork city. The town is a well known and popular holiday destination,with a great variety of restaurants, shops,galleries hotels, beaches, pubs, music, sports,festivals,markets and generally a cool place to live or visit. Anytime of year is a good time to visit, with a wealth of activities and interesting places to visit and a wide variety of accommodation whether you would like to relax or party for a day, month or year, or are just passing through, it is sure to be an experience!

The diverse mix of people living here generate a myriad of interesting local stories and anecdotes.

Clonakilty is mainly referred to as Clon by the locals and this gives you an impression as to the character of the town. Those living in Clonakilty find it hard not to be involved in local activities such as Gaelic Football & Hurling, Rugby, Soccer, Golf, Leisure Clubs & Gyms, Surfing, Swimming, Tennis, Badminton, Rowing, Horse Riding, Hill Walking, Fishing and Cycling. There are lots of non sporting activities also such as; Bridge Club, Film Club, Flower Club, Macra Na Feirme, Photography Club, Public Speaking, Singing Club and Vintage Car Club to name but a few. While browsing the galleries and craft shops of the area, enjoy the works of the many talented artists,potters and craftspeople who reflect life here in their works.

A great way to get a glimpse of Clonakilty in the days gone by is to take a trip down memory lane and find out what little coastal towns looked like many years ago. The Model village as the name suggests, houses scaled down models of villages around West Cork. It is a treat to see the way people used to live in this part of the world. For a more leisurely way to get to know the town, you can take a ride on the mini-train that goes on a relaxing trip around the town to see some of the sites. There are also places to visit of historical importance nearby, the many Michael Collins related sites, his home place in Sam's Cross and the Lis Na gCun Ringfort centre on the road to Timoleague Road.

Inchydoney Beach is well worth a visit, with two fabulous beaches, surfing centres and wonderful hotels to pamper yourself in, enjoy a leisurely lunch or special hot chocolate. There are lots of walks in the area and wonderful coastline to travel along, capturing some of the magic of West Cork. The views out onto the Atlantic are breathtaking especially on a sunny day and the coastal drive is a must, with even more beaches to stop by for a stroll or a swim on a hot Summers day. Many species of birds and other wildlife frequent the local area and you will find many pictures of them on display around the town.

Well, there are two other things that are taken very seriously in here, and they are, Ceol agus Bia which translates to Music & Food. It is hard to not to find a good restaurant, from a tasty quick meal to real fine dining. There are also lots of artisan shops selling anything from locally grown organic produce to some of the finest bread, cheese, meats & of course Clonakilty Black Pudding which has to be experienced in order to complete your visit. Famous for its music culture which permeates all aspects of life in Clon. you can find everything from traditional Irish, rock, blues, folk & country music, but if that is not your thing there are also dj's playing in bars and of course nightclubs.

So we would like to see you here sometime and should you like to explore more, why not browse around Talk of the Town.

A menu can whet your appetite, but a taste of Clonakilty is the real thing, Slán...