O'Sullivan’s, Crookhaven, Co Cork

You would be forgiven in thinking when you walk into O'Sullivan’s bar in Crookhaven that you have reached “a home at the end of the world” of sorts. Not in the apocalyptic sense of the worlds end, more a welcoming spot after a journey through the wilds of West Cork and all the beauty of the Mizen head and its surrounding peninsula. Particularly if you venture there off season when the wind is blowing and the sea is wild. O'Sullivan’s bar is where you will be welcomed and can sit in front of the open fire and rest a while. O'Sullivan’s is a hive of activity in the holiday period and proudly decorates its bar area with a vast collection of notes from all over the world. The collection was originally started by sailors who were docked in the harbour and is continued today by the many visitors that come to enjoy all that the Mizen has to offer. Music, singing, dancing and some of the best food and beer in town are what awaits you there. The locals are always ready to welcome you as are the O'Sullivan family who have been there for three generations and the pub has been handed down from father to son. It is situated overlooking the harbour in Crookhaven and it is exactly as it promises in its name a haven, particularly for those who may have chosen to view the area by Bicycle or on foot. It is surrounded by seascapes and beautiful beaches and promises a cosy comfort to enjoy a pint and a chat and a hearty homemade meal. In the winter months the area is sparsely populated as many properties locally are holiday homes.O'Sullivan’s provides the social hub of the community and the forty two locals are in and out as if it is a living room with various family members who feature and give the news they have heard or seen that day. You can imagine it is not a sighting of Beyonce, more likely a fox may be on the harbour wall taking in the moonlight or a local person needs a hand with shifting something. This adds to the sense of belonging you feel there, you become part of the people and the place. What I enjoy most is to land in with my dog after a long stretch of the legs on Barley cove beach and to sit in the corner by the fire with a hot port. I chat a while, write a while, think a while and be a while!