# Charles Fort, Ireland: what it is and when to go > Charles Fort is a fortress opposite Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland. Interests: History. The best time to visit is April to September. In June there are 16 h 24 of daylight, and in December, 7 h 35. It has articles in 10 Wikipedias, so it is not one of the busiest places in Ireland: one to enjoy at a calmer pace. Here is what it is, where it lies, when to come, how to get there and what else is nearby to turn it into a trip. - Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/charles-fort/ - Reviewed on: 2026-10-02 - Language: en ## In a nutshell - **What it is:** Fortress opposite Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland · History - **Where:** Ireland - **Best time:** April to September. - **Nearest airport:** ORK Cork, 16 km as the crow flies - **Opening hours:** Mo-Su 11:00-17:00 - **Website:** [heritageireland.ie](https://www.heritageireland.ie/en/South-West/CharlesFort/) - **Run by:** Office of Public Works - **Protection:** Protected heritage - **Coordinates:** 51.69636, -8.49901 ## What it is and where Charles Fort is a fortress opposite Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland. It has articles in 10 Wikipedias, so it is not one of the busiest places in Ireland: one to enjoy at a calmer pace. It is in [Kinsale](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/kinsale/), where this site lists 20 more places to see, 2.2 km from the centre. Its coordinates are 51.69636, -8.49901; the nearest main airport is Cork International Airport (ORK, Cork), 16 km as the crow flies. How to get around Ireland (train, car, bus) is covered in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/#moverse). - [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=51.696364%2C-8.499006) - [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=51.696364%2C-8.499006) - **Run by:** Office of Public Works - **Protection:** Protected heritage It is one of the [History](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/historia/) places in Ireland. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) it is already on your trip map next to the places you save yourself, and it goes into a day's plan with one tap. ## When to go The best time to visit Charles Fort is **April to September**. | Mes | Época | Hours of daylight | | --- | --- | --- | | January | Better not | 8 h 04 | | February | Possible | 9 h 41 | | March | Possible | 11 h 31 | | April | Best time | 13 h 37 | | May | Best time | 15 h 24 | | June | Best time | 16 h 24 | | July | Best time | 15 h 59 | | August | Best time | 14 h 25 | | September | Best time | 12 h 22 | | October | Possible | 10 h 21 | | November | Better not | 8 h 31 | | December | Better not | 7 h 35 | In June there are 16 h 24 of daylight, and in December, 7 h 35. Daylight hours are calculated from the site's latitude for the 15th of each month; when planning a full day on foot they matter as much as the weather. When to go to Ireland in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/#cuando-ir). ## Before you go to Ireland To enter Ireland there are 6 things to sort out before you leave, starting with “Valid ID card (DNI) or passport”: they are all, with their deadlines, in [the Ireland checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/#antes-de-salir). Currency: Euro (EUR); plugs: Type G · 230 V · 50 Hz (the same as the British one: adapter essential); emergencies: 112 · 999. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) you tick off the checklist inside your trip, and each item reminds you when it is time to do it. ## What is nearby - [Charles Fort Lighthouse](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/charlesfort-lighthouse/): Lighthouse in Ireland · 82 m - [James's Fort](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/james-fort/): Bastion fort in County Cork, Ireland · 951 m - [Kinsale Mead Company](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/kinsale-mead-company/): Distillery · 1.9 km - [Kinsale Regional Museum & Courthouse](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/kinsale-regional-museum-courthouse/): Museum · 2.1 km - [Desmond Castle](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/desmond-castle/): Castle in County Cork, Ireland · 2.2 km Distances are as the crow flies. Everything else is in [the Ireland guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/). ## More in Ireland: History - [Skellig Michael](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/skellig-monastery/): UNESCO heritage island off coast of Kerry, Ireland - [Newgrange](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/newgrange/): neolithic monument in County Meath, Ireland - [Brú na Bóinne](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/valle-del-boyne/): archaeological site - [Dublin Castle](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/castillo-de-dublin/): Castle - [St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/catedral-de-san-patricio/): cathedral in Dublin, Ireland - [National Library of Ireland](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/national-library-of-ireland/): heritage institution Every Ireland place under History, each with its season, is on [its page](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/historia/). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is Charles Fort? It is a fortress opposite Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland. It has articles in 10 Wikipedias, so it is not one of the busiest places in Ireland: one to enjoy at a calmer pace. ### When is the best time to visit Charles Fort? April to September. In June there are 16 h 24 of daylight, and in December, 7 h 35. ### How do you get to Charles Fort? The nearest main airport is Cork International Airport (ORK), 16 km as the crow flies. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=51.696364%2C-8.499006) opens the route on the map, and how to get around Ireland is explained in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/#moverse). ### How do I add it to my trip? With one tap. In Kokai it is already on the Ireland map, next to the places you save yourself: add it to a day's plan, give it a time and, if you like, get a reminder when you pass nearby. ### What else is around here? Nearby you have [Charles Fort Lighthouse](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/charlesfort-lighthouse/), [James's Fort](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/james-fort/), [Kinsale Mead Company](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/kinsale-mead-company/). The rest is in [the Ireland guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/irlanda/). Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/28225450), licensed under the ODbL, and from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1064401), CC0. More about Charles Fort on [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Fort_(Ireland)). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).