This upcoming weekend we are pleased to announce that exciting Cork city band “the Planted” will be playing here at our Perch Bar this Saturday night. This energetic two-member band provides actively riveting live shows. Their music covers a range of genres such as pop, rock and country with music from 70′ right up to the present day charts offering  an entertaining night out for all ages. So for those of you enjoying the summer in Schull, there is still some thrills and fun to be had at night this Saturday in the Perch Bar.

This upcoming Saturday the 3rd July,  the LiveStock Cork Festival (nothing to do with cattle) will be held in the Courtyard Bar, just up the main street from us, in Schull. This 1 day music festival, along with its sister festival in Kells, highlights the best of irish live music in an event packed day and night starting from 2 o clock  on Saturday and ending at 12:30 in the early hours of Sunday morning. The confirmed acts so far include Ian Whitty & The Exchange, O Emperor, Setmaker, John Blek & The Rats, 21 Demands, Travega, Jill Deering & Stace Gill, Martin Staunton & The Lost Parade with more to be confirmed.

Admission for this festival is only €8 at the door. So if you want to see the full range of Irish live music talent on display why not pop down to the Courtyard Bar in Schull on the Saturday the 3rd July at 2pm and see where the rest of the day and night take you.

For further updated info on this festival checkout its myspace page http://events.myspace.com/Event/3858682/LiveStock-Cork or its facebook site http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=125235940820007&ref=nf

There are still many events and festivals around in Scull and the surrounds to comes and we hope to keep you posted on them in the coming weeks.Plus there are many live music sessions and gigs for music fans of all genres (jazz, trad and contemporary) in the pubs in town in the evening. So if you are hanging around Schull for the day and want to hear some music and enjoy the craic in the evening just check out the local pubs.

This weekend the 19th  June local west cork band Rubicon, a celtic rock band from Ballydehob, are playing in Schull at  the Black Sheep pub at 10pm.

•                 Sherri and Denny are married and have 3 small kids.

•                 Our Head Chef is from New Zealand.

•                 Our Second Chef is expecting a baby ( well his wife is )

•                 Steve the night porter has a passion for England and drinks his tea from a giant England mug!

•                 All of the staff actually really like each other!

•                 Trish the bar maid is addicted to cigarettes but a staff intervention is planned to get her to quit

•                 Rieke the receptionist loves animals especially cats and her favourite one is Mimi the kitten she rescued from the ditch just outside the hotel last summer where somebody had obviously thrown the kitten out. She has 10 cats uptodate!

•                 Cathy the other receptionist has flown the nest and is now on the other side of the world studying nursing in Australia!

•                 Since we opened there has been no ‘office romance’ which is not to say there wont be!

•                 Mary the waitress has lived most of her life in Alaska and is a trained hairdresser.

•                 Vikjtoria our housekeeper is also a doctor!

•                 Elaine our other Chef has 4 small kids and has only recently returned from maternity leave after having her little daughter.

•                 Katriona our Leisure Centre manager is qualified in all aspects to do with the facility from life guarding, gym instructor, swim teacher, aerobics instructor etc.

•                 Both Audrey ad Katriona are members of he Schull Triathlon club since 2007. in the winter months they train in the hotel pool and in the summer they train in the sea.

•                 If you want to get fit then Audrey is the girl to do it with, she is a qualified gym instructer and carries out fitness tests and programmes to suit all individuals.

•                 Our youngest member of staff is Angela who also works in the Leisure Centre. Angela is currently doing her Leaving Cert and hopes to go on to study Primary School teaching.

•                 Michelle who works part time in the Leisure Centre is also a qualified beautician!

•                 Helena comes from a very big family and often 4 of her siblings come in to help out at functions.

•                 The biggest mishap which has happened a few times is the toaster setting off the fire alarm, normally brought on by the Leisure Centre girls toasting soda bread!

•                 The three main players in the 2007 Dunlough Bay drugs hawl stayed in the hotel for a few nights before they got caught! This was the States biggest drugs find to date amounting up to €440 million in value.

An upcoming event to take note of and put in your diaries taking place in just over a few weeks at the end of May (27-30th May) is the Corona Fastnet Short Film Festival 2010 an independent short film festival which is set to showcase the work of many talented, established and first time cinematographers.

Starting on the Thursday of the 27th May, for four days Schull will go short film festival crazy with a host of short films on show for everyone who’s interested. Even though there is no cinema in Schull that doesn’t stop the town from hosting a brilliant festival. With over 136 short films on offer the venders hope to display them these 4 days in many outdoor and indoor venues up and down the town, from the mobile Cinemobile to the Town Hall to our own Harbour View Hotel, helping everyone embrace all the best of Short Films available.

This festival has something for everyone. For budding young film makers the festival gives them a chance to showcase and become recognized in their work with various competitions, film workshops and chances to meet and talk to well known people within the film industry. For film buffs it offers a wealth of opportunities to view before seen short films in unique settings, meet new and established film makers in person and perhaps if you wish take part in a film workshop. The town will also be in full festival mode with a good atmosphere and buzz around during the days and the evenings, in the streets and local pubs, and while there is much to do for the active film buff or film maker to enjoy the festival there will also be other activities, entertainment options and things to see and do around the town to keep one interested and entertained.

So whether you like to make films or watch them, come along, participate and best of all enjoy the best of national and international shortfilmmaking.

For further details on this festival checkout its official website http://www.fastnetshortfilmfestival.com . If you want to take a look at what other events and activities that Schull has to offer keep in touch and we will try to keep you posted.

More things to do in Schull, West Cork

We stayed in a two bedroom apartment which was beautifully furnished. The main bedroom en suite bathroom had the most amazing power shower. The twin room was very spacious each bed has a wardrobe so plenty of space. The separate bathroom has the same power shower and also a very relaxing Jacuzzi bath. The kitchen is perfectly laid out and fully equipped with everything you could possibly need for a stay in a self catering apartment!

That evening we ate in the hotel “Perch Bar”. Everything on the menu only €10!!! As anyone knows with a family of 4 or more this is more than reasonable as normally we could spend up to €60 on a main course alone. The bar staff were very attentive, frequently checking if we had enough sauces, drinks ect.

We did take advantage of the leisure centre most days for a quick swim or work out. The girls were very accommodating to provide swim hats and towels when we forgot them, and helped show us the gym equipment we not familiar with.

Our stay in the Harbour View Hotel Apartments was very enjoyable and refreshing. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone considering a visit to Schull, and will most definitely stay there again.
Michelle Keating, Dalkey, Co Dublin.

Schull itself is dotted with small bars, most serving pub grub and generally featuring live music during the summer months especially. Every sunday there is the local Farmers Market from 10am – 2pm, Easter to October. The first one starts on Sunday April 4th this year. Here you can find a great selection of local food and crafts which are approved under the Bord Bia ‘Good Practice’ scheme. There is definately a bargain to be had here and some delicious homemade products to take back home with you and remember Schull by!

There are also numerous small shops such as the Chapter One bookshop, Barnetts clothes shop, Pebbles, Enibas Jewellers, McCarthys Chemist and plenty more where you can find souveniers or presents for your loved ones.

For those guests who stay with us in July, they will have the opportunity to enjoy the ‘Art in Schull’ festival. West Cork is full of artists in all shapes and sizes and during the month of July Schull is teaming with various types of artists. All genres of art are encouraged and most of the local businesses will showcase exhibitions of the paintings and during the ‘Art around Town’ evening you can have the chance to meet some of the artists and chat with them about their work. There will also be plenty of Drama to be had for the drama lovers with the Schull Drama group performing in the local hall and for those with children, fear not as there will also be loads of entertainment to be had for the little ones with a selection of workshops being held and plenty of activities to be done.

In and around the mizen Peninsula there are numerous sandy beaches well worth a visit on a sunny or a stormy day. They are equally breath taking on a summers day or in a winter storm. The biggest and best known one would be Barleycove beach. Barleycove is a large sandy beach backed by sand dunes which were thrown up in the tidal wave which swept Europe after the Lisbon earthquake in 1755. Today the dunes have been partially eroded but are protected as Special Areas of Conservation. The beach has also been awarded a Blue Flag and has lifeguard patrol during July and August. It is definately a must visit offering spectacular views, dramatic coastline, exotic flora and fauna and bags of fun. Other beaches worth mentioning are Stony beach which is a sister beach to Barleycove and Ballyrisode Beach which is ideal for smaller children as there are virtually no waves and is very sheltered. Ballyrisode beach is in Toormore a short distance from Schull.

For those interested in historical sites there are plenty of sites to be seen in the Mizen Peninsula. A visit to the Altar Dolmen is a must. This is a fine example of a Neolithic tomb and also the views of the ocean are breathtaking form the Altar Dolmen and it is a fine picnic site. There is also a wedge tomb dating back to the Bronze Age in the grounds of a local house. The ring forts of the Early Christian period were the farmsteads of the time and the best examples are at Rathooragh and Lissacaha near Toormore. The Altar Church was built during the famine as relief work.

Another point of interest would be Schulls own Mount Gabriel. It towers over the village at 1339 feet. The two gobes one can see on the summit are part of a European wide air and sea traffic monitoring system.In the late 1970s, as part of the development of Euocontrol two radar domes were built on the top of the mountain and in 1982 the Irish National Liberation Army blew up the radar domes amidst claims they were being used by NATO in violation of Irish Neutrality.

Mount Gabriel had the oldest worked copper mines in north-west Europe dating back to the 17th century B.C. All over the South and Western slopes of the mountain is evidence of Bronze age mining activity. The principal ore mined for was copper. Some of the archaeological items found on the mountain are now found in the national Museum in Dublin.

Another must do when visiting Schull is a trip to Irelands only Planetarium. The Planetarium, which is part of the college campus, is the first of it’s kind anywhere in the republic of Ireland. It was officially opened on March 9th,1989, by his Excellency, the President of Ireland, Dr. Patrick Hillery. On the Planetarium’s 8 metre dome, the Carl Zeiss single sphere sky projector shows an accurate representation of the night sky from anywhere in the northern hemisphere. The Planetarium came to be built in Schull due to the largesse of the late Herr Josef Menke, a German industrialist with a keen interest in astronomy.
The task was accomplished through the joint efforts of the Cork Vocational Education Committee (VEC) and Schull Development Association, with financial support from Bord Fáilte, the National Lottery, the West Cork Development Association and Cork County Council. The Planetarium holds regular star show and fascinates everyone who sets foot in it!

The village next to Schull on your route to Irelands most South-westerely point is Goleen – little inlet – this is a small and lively coastal village overlooking Roaring Water Bay. It was built during the 19th century at a crossroads where a cattle fair was held. The main street is very wide and all the houses were originally shops. Although the harbour dries at low tide giving great feeding for a variety of wildlife, there is a deepwater quay at the entrance to accommodate fishing boats and yachts. A visit to one of the small pubs in Goleen is a good idea if you’re looking for an impromptu sing song or just chat with the locals.

And for those of you interested in a little bit of folklore – In the townland of Dunkelly, north of Goleen, stands a small inlet harbour known as Canty’s Cove. Canty was a pirate, a murderer and a robber who lived in a big house high up over this inlet sometime in the 17th century. It is said that Canty would lure ships into Dunmanus Bay, invite the sailors to dine with him at his mansion and when they had feasted and drunk enough, he would rob them, throw them over the cliff and confiscate anything that was valuable in their ships.

Goleen has a large Roman Catholic chapel and there is a smaller Church of Ireland church situated just outside the village but this has now been deconsecrated and is the site for a sail-maker. The town also boasts a community pitch on which locals play gaelic football and soccer. In the sports hall beside the pitch, is a table tennis club which has 26 members, some of which have played internationally.

Mizen Head, at the southern tip of the Mizen peninsula, about five miles from the village, is often claimed to be the most southerly point on the island of Ireland, but is in fact the country’s most southwesterly point. The distinction of being Ireland’s most southerly point belongs to nearby Brow Head from where Guglielmo Marconi experimented with transatlantic radio signals at the beginning of the 20th century.

Mizen Head can be accessed by visitors right down to the edge of the lighthouse once you brave the hanging bridge which is just undergoing refurbishments. It is an experience not to be missed, the shearing cliffs in themselves are a must but the centre around the lighthouse has such a variety of things to see that we would highly recommend it to everybody, old or young! Close to Mizen Head is also Three Castle Head and as mentioned before Brow Head which also boasts impressive Castle ruins. Also close to Brow Head is the village of Crookhaven where a pint and a reknowned chowder is to be had, especially nice on a sunny day as you can sit on the pier and look out to sea!

These are just few items of interest in the Mizen Peninsula, there is so much to do it’s nearly too much to list! There are activities for old and young, inside and outside come rain or sunshine you can be sure of a fun filled, adventure packed holiday when you stay with us at the Harbour View and take the time to explore the peninsula.

Schull Harbour, West Cork

The Harbour View Hotel in West Cork is different because it is a special hotel run by a husband and wife who love and the area of Schull in West Cork intimately.

The Cullinanes from Goleen both work at creating a comfortable atmosphere for our guests. By day Sherri is usually around and by night you can get a pint pulled for you by Denny the man of the house. It’s a home away from home for our Guests who truly enjoy the homely and welcoming environment.

Most of the staff have been there since day one – 1st of June 2007 and know not only the hotel inside out but also themselves and there’s often bantering and joking going on which creates a light-hearted and easy place to work. Guests will feel the atmosphere and should enjoy their experience with staff whether it’s telling Trish our bar maid about their night around town or having a chat with Steve the night porter about Schull and the surrounding area. Guests from America can share their Ireland experience with Sherri as she originates from San Francisco! In fact we have a diverse team of staff here from America, England and Hungary to Germany, New Zealand and France and of course from Ireland.

We like getting our guests to enjoy the Mizen Peninsula experience whether it’s helping them to find an activity for the kids such as horse riding, snorkling or the Planetarium or whether it’s for food or culture / history lovers, you can be sure our staff at reception can help you create an unforgettable experience from the minute you walk through the front door!

Our hotel is also unique because we have a team of dedicated fitness enthusiasts running our Leisure Centre who are only too pleased to help any guest optimise on his or her fitness with tips and secrets of the trade. Both Audrey and Katriona are members of the Schull Triathon Club and know their way around a gym. Also in the Leisure centre are the Escape Beauty Rooms run by Kay an experienced beauty professional. Escape Beauty Rooms offer an array of products, massages and treatments which relax and beautify– just what you need on a break away from the ordinary.

Come and see for yourself …