What is recorded here

Donal McCarthy and Margaret Fitzgerald built a tower in 1596, carving their names into the keystone of a joggel arched mantlepiece. That stone left Kilbrittain Castle and reappeared in the grounds of Upton House, where it still waits beside a house that did not exist when they struck it. The castle is gone or changed, but the keystone remembers the exact moment two people decided to make something permanent.

In the grounds of Upton House (CO096-036----), near Inishannon. The keystone of a joggel arched mantlepiece inscribed "AD 1596 DONALDUS CARTI ET MARGARETA GERALD FECERUNT" (which Coakley (1920, 23) translates as 'Donal McCarthy and Margaret Fitzgerald made (this tower) AD 1596'). Hawkes (1951, 51) recorded that this stone was moved from Kilbrittain Castle (CO124-025001-) to Upton house. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 1: West Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1992). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

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