Youghal (pronounced "Yawl") is a handsome walled medieval town at the mouth of the Blackwater River, right on the border between Cork and Waterford. It's one of Ireland's best-preserved historic towns, with 13th-century walls still standing, a magnificent collegiate church, and a long stretch of sandy beach that makes it genuinely good for a day out or an overnight stop.
The town's most famous resident was Sir Walter Raleigh, who lived here for 17 years after Queen Elizabeth I gifted him a house and 40,000 acres. He's credited — perhaps apocryphally — with introducing the potato to Ireland right here in Youghal, at his house Myrtle Grove. Later, in 1954, John Huston chose Youghal as the backdrop for his film adaptation of Moby Dick starring Gregory Peck, turning the town briefly into a stand-in for New Bedford, Massachusetts.
The Clock Gate Tower is the undisputed highlight: a four-storey medieval gate that served as a gaol, with costumed guides who bring the history to life well. St Mary's Collegiate Church, over 1,300 years old, is free to enter and worth the detour. The old town walls are some of the most intact in Ireland. Beyond the historic core, Youghal has a decent stretch of Blue Flag beaches — Claycastle and Redbarn connect to form a three-mile run of sand.
It's an easy day trip from Cork city (about 50km east on the N25), and a natural stop if you're driving the Ring of Cork or heading toward Waterford.