The city of Bantry is located in the south-west of Ireland in West Cork on Bantry Bay. Located on the well-known Wild Atlantic Way, it is the perfect base from which to explore this stunning area. The historic place has almost 3500 inhabitants and is considered an important economic center for the region, with tourism and fishing
are among the major sources of income. The colorful town on the water has largely retained its traditional appearance. The focal point of Bantry is Wolfe Tone Square. It commemorates Theobald Wolfe Tone (1763-1798) who, as a member of a French invasion fleet, attempted to land at Bantry Bay in December 1796 to end British rule in Ireland. Adverse weather conditions, however, prevented this
Landing of the troops, and the plan failed. A frigate that sunk in the storm still lies at the bottom of the bay to this day. Like no other place on the west coast of Ireland, Bantry is spoiled by the foothills of the warm Gulf Stream. Mighty palm trees and cedars, fuchsias and meter-high agaves characterize the landscape. An architectural accent sets before
most notably the grandiose Bantry House, a jewel of early 18th-century Georgian architecture. The castle-like manor house above Bantry Bay was built in 1720 and from 1750 was the ancestral seat of the White family, later Earls of Bantry. The stately manor is now considered an attractive sight in Bantry Bay.