The West Cork History Festival takes place in the grounds of Rosebank, formerly the dower house of the Liss Ard estate, less than a mile outside Skibbereen in West Cork.
Our full address is:
Rosebank
Russagh
Castletownshend Road
Skibbereen
County Cork
P81 HF61
Ireland
+353 (0)87 356 1871
westcorkhistoryfestival@gmail.com
Food & Drink
Excellent West Cork food and drink will be available throughout the Festival – find out more here.
Parking
Please note that due to space restrictions at the Festival venue itself, ALL parking for the Festival will be at the Liss Ard Estate Hotel nearby.
Signage on the road will direct you to Liss Ard, where Festival stewards will point you towards the parking. It is then about a five minute walk to Rosebank where the West Cork History Festival is taking place. It will all be signed (and properly lit in the evenings), but please be aware that the path is rather uneven and the route is through a field.
Wheelchair users and others with mobility impairments should contact the Festival organisers in advance to arrange parking closer to the Festival venue by email at westcorkhistoryfestival@gmail.com or by phone +353 (0)87 3561871
Directions
By air
The nearest airport is Cork (80 km away), but you can also fly into Shannon (220 km) and Dublin (350 km) airports. For directions from Cork Airport see below.
By ferry
Ferries from UK to Rosslare, or from UK to Dublin Port, then approximately a three hour drive from either to Skibbereen.
By car
From Cork City (and other points east)
Take the N71 west, heading for West Cork and Skibbereen; the route is pretty straightforward, and you will pass through Bandon and Clonakilty on the way. At Skibbereen follow the one way system to the Regal Roundabout with LIDL. Take the first left, following signs to Castletownsend, R596. All the parking for the Festival is at Liss Ard Country House Hotel, half a mile along this road on the right.
From Cork Airport
As you leave the airport complex (there are two roundabouts within it), take the third exit from the roundabout on to the R600 Kinsale Road. Follow this road for about three miles, before coming to a junction (a sort of oblique crossroad) at Fivemilebridge where you take the right-hand turn on to the R613. This leads you through a village called Ballinhassig. Pass straight through and as you climb a hill on the far side you will see a turn to the left to join the N71 which is the main road west to Skibbereen.
At Skibbereen follow the one way system to the Regal Roundabout with a LIDL on the opposite side. Take the first left, following signs to Castletownsend, R596. All the parking for the Festival is at Liss Ard Estate Hotel, less than half a mile along this road on the right.
From Rosslare
From the ferry port follow signs to Wexford, and then before you get to Wexford itself, follow signs to Waterford, New Ross and Dungarven (don’t go into Wexford). There is at least one toll on the road around Waterford. You will soon pick up signs to Cork City.
Public Transport
Buses run from Cork City to Skibbereen – further information and timetables can be found here http://www.buseireann.ie/
Taxis
We recommend the following local taxi firms
Alwyn Harris 028 22296 or 086 250 4255
and
Blue Sky Cabs 086 8835725
Where to Stay
There is a wide range of visitor accommodation in the area, but it is advisable to book early as August is peak tourist season.
The Liss Ard Estate Hotel is adjacent to the Festival venue, and within walking distance.
https://www.lissardestate.com/
Skibbereen is a short drive from the Festival venue, while Baltimore and Ballydehob are about 20 minutes drive and Schull 30 minutes drive. All have accommodation of varying kinds, and the following sites have listings:
http://www.skibbereen.ie/business-directory-category/accommodation/
http://www.baltimore.ie/where-to-stay
http://www.ballydehob.ie/accommodation-in-ballydehob/
http://www.schull.ie/category/where-to-stay/
And airbnb.ie currently has availability for the weekend of the Festival, both to rent individual rooms within houses and to rent whole properties.