Charles Fort

14/06/2026

🥳 The Oceanic Odyssey of Oscar the Octopus 🐙

Arriving on Saturday 20th June 2026, daily from 10am to 5pm.

🐙Oscar is diving into Kinsale Harbour for his Summer Holidays and he is hoping to squeeze the most out of his time here!! It’s Oscars first time in Kinsale and he is feeling a little out of his depth! He needs a little assistance making new friends. 🦞🐬🦭🐡
Are you willing to help Oscar?

No pre-booking required.

Free admission for Under 12's but must be accompanied by an Adult (normal admission rate applies - €5.00).

Kids Summer Trail with hidden tags around the fort.

31/05/2026

Coming Soon ... The Oceanic Odyssey of Oscar the Octopus. 🐙
Kids Summer Trail at Charles Fort will commence on Saturday 20th June 2026. 🥳



📸 Karen Healy

29/05/2026

Charles Fort Café is now open. 🥳
Open daily from 10am to 5pm.
Grace and Gertie are looking forward to welcoming you. 😀👍

28/05/2026

Delighted to announce the re-opening of the Charles Fort Café from Friday 29th May 2026. 🥳
Open daily from 10am to 5pm for toasties, cakes and coffees.
🥪🍰☕️
Huge welcome to Grace, Gertie and crew and we wish you every success. 👍

Ireland

22/05/2026

🥳Bealtaine Festival - Age & Opportunity🥳
Free Admission today for Senior Citizens (anybody aged 60 or over). For those who wish to avail of this opportunity to visit Charles Fort please note that we are open from 10am to 5pm and you can collect your free Bealtaine ticket in Reception. No pre-booking required.

Féile na Bealtaine
Deineann Féile na Bealtaine na bliana seo ceiliúradh ar aois agus deiseanna rannpháirtíochta níos mó sa tsochaí a chur chun cinn i measc daoine níos aosta in Éirinn.
Beidh cead isteach saor in aisce chuig láithreáin oidhreachta Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí ar an 22 Bealtaine do sheanóirí.
This year’s Bealtaine Festival celebrates age and opportunity by promoting greater participation in society by older people in Ireland. There will be free admission to heritage sites on 22nd May for senior citizens.

🔗Féach ar an sceideal iomlán imeachtaí ag heritageireland.ie

Bealtaine Festival OPW - Office of Public Works

21/05/2026

Biodiversity Week at Charles Fort. Here at Charles Fort we were delighted to host an excellent presentation on Wednesday 20th May on 'Coastal Management, Citizen Science & Seagrass'. Many thanks to Bernie Connolly, TEF and Coastwatch Regional Coordinator and Emma Armshaw, SWAN Marine policy officer on the most informative talk and thanks to all the enthusiastic attendees. Afterwards there was a chance to visit the shore and check on the Seagrass bed adjacent to the Charles Bastion outside the Fort. We even got to find some seagrass washed up on the foreshore!

15/05/2026

What a Corker! 😀

13/05/2026

Sentry Box on the Flagstaff Bastion at Charles Fort Military Fortress.

A soldier on sentry duty was only allowed to shelter in the sentry box (pictured) in poor weather conditions. However, he must remain alert for any potential threat. A soldier who falls asleep on sentry duty endagers not just himself but all his comrades. This was an extremely serious offence. The rules according to Humphry Bland in 'A Treatise of Military Discipline, dated 1743 states:
"A sentry who is found sleeping on his post, or attempts to deliver it up to the enemy, or suffers it to be surprised through negligence, is to be punished with death."

12/05/2026

Charles Fort - open as per normal on Wednesday 13th May 2026.

As the planned ESB Networks Outage for tomorrow has now been cancelled, Charles Fort shall be open to visitors on Wednesday 13th May, (as per usual) from 10am with last entry at 5pm.