Family Trip to Ireland for My Brother’s 40th Birthday
When it came to celebrating my brother’s 40th birthday, we wanted to do something special — something that felt meaningful to us as a family. With Irish roots tracing back to the Cork area, Ireland seemed like the perfect place to mark the milestone. None of us had ever been before, so we decided to make it a family getaway to remember.
We travelled in May 2025, spending six days exploring Cork, Kinsale, and Kenmare — with eight of us ranging in age from 26 to 71. It turned out to be the perfect mix of laughter, scenic drives, good food, and plenty of Irish “craic.”
Getting There
We flew from Stansted to Cork with Ryanair, booking around two months in advance. Flights came to roughly £120 each with luggage — not bad at all for a family trip!
Once we landed, we picked up two hire cars to make it easy to explore. My aunt and I were the designated drivers, and in hindsight, we probably should’ve added a few more names to those rental agreements — six days of Irish countryside driving is a lot of miles! Thankfully, Google Maps made it easy to get around, and we planned out our routes each day before setting off.
Where We Stayed
We split our trip between two Airbnbs — one in Kinsale and one in Kenmare.
Our Kinsale base was a four-bedroom townhouse overlooking the marina, and honestly, the views from the living room and balcony were breathtaking. The house felt modern, stylish, and spotlessly clean, with everything we needed for a comfortable three-night stay. I still dream about those towels — genuinely the softest I’ve ever had in any hotel or rental! Our host Catherine was wonderful — responsive, helpful, and friendly.
The house was about a 10–15 minute walk from the main town but had the added bonus of being next door to The Spaniard Inn and Man Friday Restaurant, both of which became family favourites.
In Kenmare, we stayed at Rock Lodge, a rustic cabin-style home set in peaceful countryside, just a short drive from town. It had that cosy, woodsy feel you want from rural Ireland — complete with a visiting local farm dog who popped by to check on us! Our hosts, Chloe and Harry, were just as warm and welcoming.
We chose both places mainly for their location and value, as hotels in these areas can be pricey. Having shared living spaces made it much easier for our group of eight, and it added to the fun of spending proper family time together.
Celebrating the 40th
The highlight of the trip (and the main reason for it all!) was celebrating my brother 40th birthday. We marked the occasion with a visit to the Jameson Distillery in Midleton, about a 40-minute drive from Kinsale.
We booked the Jameson Experience Tour & Premium Whiskey Tasting, which cost €56 per person. Even for those of us who aren’t big whiskey drinkers, it was fascinating to learn about the history and production — who knew whiskey starts life as beer?! The tasting session was fun too… especially for the men in the family, who happily took care of the leftover samples from the rest of us. Let’s just say they weren’t exactly sober when we left!
Food & Local Favourites
Kinsale is known as Ireland’s foodie capital, and it didn’t disappoint. We ate at Man Friday, a lovely spot overlooking the harbour — definitely book ahead as it’s busy for good reason. The food was incredible.
Our first-night dinner at The Spaniard Inn was just as memorable — I had the Irish stew, which was mouth-wateringly good. It set the bar high for the rest of the trip.
In Kenmare, we found great local pubs and restaurants (and, of course, more Irish stew — I couldn’t resist!). What made each place stand out wasn’t just the food, but the atmosphere — live Irish bands, friendly locals, and that unmistakable “craic” everyone talks about. I loved how many pubs double as shops, and one even had an ice cream counter tucked inside!
What We Did
We packed a lot into six days, and every stop offered something different:
Day 1 – Cork: A few hours exploring after landing, lunch and a few Guinness’s before heading to Kinsale.
Day 2 – Midleton & Cobh: The distillery tour for Stuart’s birthday, followed by an afternoon in Cobh — the last port of call for the RMS Titanic. The town is colourful, hilly, and full of charm.
Day 3 – Clonakilty & Timoleague: A scenic drive, lunch at Casey’s (a quirky Irish pub with an outdoor area), and a visit to Timoleague Abbey, where we found graves of potential ancestors — the O’Learys!
Day 4 – The Ring of Beara: Driving from Kinsale to Kenmare, stopping at Glengarriff and the Healy Pass — both stunning. We lucked out with sunshine all week, which made the views even more spectacular.
Day 5 – The Ring of Kerry: We explored Castlecove, Derrynane Beach, and Sneem before returning to Kenmare for a relaxed final evening.
Day 6 – The Journey Home: A scenic drive back via Killarney National Park, lunch in Killarney town, and a quick stop in Blarney (sadly just missed the castle closing time… so we settled for one last Guinness instead).
Final Thoughts
Ireland absolutely stole our hearts. The combination of breathtaking landscapes, great food, and genuinely warm people made this trip one to remember.
It was the perfect way to celebrate a milestone birthday — relaxed, full of laughter, and steeped in family heritage. We left already planning where we’d visit next time, with the west coast high on our list.
In one line?
We loved Ireland for its beauty, scenery, food, and good old-fashioned Irish craic — and we’ll 100% be back.
