Besides being famed for its beautiful situation on the south coast of Ireland, the town earned its place in history when on Christmas Eve 1601 two of the major ruling clans of Ireland the O'Neills and the O'Donnells were defeated at The Battle of Kinsale, ending a centuries long struggle to expel the English from Ireland. The battle eventually led to The flight of the Earls on 14th September 1607, when the leading Gaelic families of Ireland left for refuge in Europe, leaving the way open for a full scale plantation of Ireland.

The area around Kinsale was once controled by The Earls of Desmond a family of Norman descent who were dispossed of their land after a failed rebellion in the mid 1500's. The Desmond castle situated on Cork Street was built some time around 1500 its primaty use was to be a customs house, but throughout its long history it has been put to many uses, it was occupied for a short time by the Spanish who landed in the town in an abortive attempt to assist The Irish Earls. It was used during the American war of Independance to house American prisoners. In 1747 fifty four prisoners mostly French prisoners lost their lives in a fire. During the famine is seen service as a temporary workhouse.