The Old Head Golf Links is one of the most remarkable developments ever conceived in the history of golf; an Atlantic promontory that will never be rivalled in terms of drama and beauty.
It rises hundreds of feet high above dramatic cliffs, surrounded by the ocean on all sides and commanding the most spectacular views from virtually every part.
Is it a true links? Is it a great test of golf? No matter the question, the answer is the same: Find a way to get to this clifftop layout unabashedly set on a headland jutting into the Celtic Sea.
The Old Head of Kinsale is a national monument and an ancient royal site, fortified by a castle at the narrowest part of the promontory, with history traceable back to several centuries before Christ. It is a place of special historical, archaeological and scientific interest.
Glory Game
The Erainn Celtic people, the first Irish settlers, fortified the peninsula by building a fort, the remains of which can still be seen today, along with the castles and signal tower on The Old Head itself. The new lighthouse was built on the site in 1853, carrying on the ancient tradition of “Navigational Fires” situated on the promontory.
Nature Conservation
The Old Head was included in the “Inventory of Outstanding Landscapes in Ireland” as being ‘a narrow coastal headland with spectacular cliffs of geological interest’. The landscape development program at The Old Head is designed to enhance, complement and harmonise the newly planted areas with the existing vegetation. It consists primarily of native maritime species, coupled with a refined selection of seaside plants from the flora of all five continents.