I arranged a trip to Kinsale for a few friends for my birthday this year, and Dempsey's was where we stayed. There were seven of us- a mix of couples and singles, all mid to late twenties. This was exactly the right place. It's the perfect location- the main bus route from Cork and the airport stops literally right outside the door; it's a couple of minutes walk from the charming town centre, and the hostel itself is set a little way back from the road so you can barely hear the little traffic there is. Rory is the manager there- he's always around but not at all intrusive and really wants to make sure you're having a good stay- the few requests we did make he couldn't have been more helpful with. It's got big communal areas too although they do get very cold, so if you want to spend the evening in it's worth asking to borrow an extra heater. The kitchen is quite big with plenty of hob space (no oven though) and everything you need. It's basic and spartan throughout, but clean- for the price, it's perfect.

I stayed at Dempsey's last year on my backpacking tour through Ireland and I really enjoyed it. Although it's a very basic hostel it was clean (which is the most importan thing for me, I don't mind basic accomodations as long as they are not dirty) and Rory, the guy who worked at the hostel (btw: all the time, 24/7!), was more than friendly. I had a very warm welcome and was offered a nice cup of tea in the conservatory (I enjoyed that place especially in the morning, when the sun came in). He was always there when I needed help or advise and he gave me some tipps what can be seen in the area around (don't miss the Charles Fort!). I even extended my stay as I enjoyed the friendly atmosphere in the hostel so much and met some really nice people there.
It often happens to me in hostels that I hear people complaining about dirty dishes etc. but never see them cleaning up their own mess (happened to me at Dempsey's). Common enough that's the main reason for dirty kitchens etc.
If you are looking for a luxury accomodation this hostel is not the right choice, as it is defenitly basic, but if you like indipendent hostels with their special aura and are looking for a friendly place to stay close to Kinsale Dempsey's is to be recommended.

I did not enjoy this hostel at all..... It smelled very bad , the service was poor , it was near a busy road, and the rooms were cramped. The only up side being it's close location to kinsale .

Ok so it's a pretty basic sort of place and not at all luxurious but Dempsey's Hostel met all our needs adequately. We had a family room for 2 adults and 2 kids. It had it's own washbasin, the beds were fine and the bed linen decent enough. The nearby shower room was clean and functional. The kitchen was fairly grotty and could do with some money spending on it but fine for sorting out toast and cereal for breakfast. It could be 100% improved if the waste/recyling bins were to be emptied daily. The owner called at the hostel every day to make sure we had everything we needed which is more than you can say for most hotels