Whether I feel like walking, shopping, relaxing or socialising, Kinsale invariably has the answer. Though I've left my heady teenage years of night-clubbing in the White Lady or Perryville Hotel behind, there's nothing my husband and I like more than an enjoyable evening in one of the many music venues in the town.

When it comes to dining out, Kinsale has a varied selection of top-quality restaurants. My usuals include Man Friday, Fishy Fishy and the White Lady.

But visiting Kinsale is so much more than eating and drinking. I love the boutiques and shoe shops along the narrow crooked streets and usually manage to pick up something a little different here. There's nothing more enjoyable than a Kinsale spree on a dreary Sunday afternoon.

If the weather is too nice to shop, I take an energetic stroll along the Scilly Walk or Compass Hill and though I've admired the views of Charles Fort and beyond several times over, I'll never tire of its beauty.

I could fill pages justifying why Kinsale is dear to my heart and I've done just that by setting my first novel, Love Match, in this town. My characters have travelled the narrow streets, made sandcastles on Dock Beach, shopped, socialised and danced in Kinsale as their tale unravels.

Mary Malone's debut novel, 'Love Match', is published by Dodder Books, priced 8.99;

www. marymalone. info