Bawn in Farranacoush (sherkin Island) — Report the wrong picture

What is recorded here

Half a kilometre west of Baltimore Harbour, a rectangular tower still stands on the eastern promontory of Sherkin Island, its bawn wall crossing the narrow neck like a chain thrown across the sea. The O'Driscoll clan held it, Waterford citizens attacked it in 1537, and Spanish soldiers garrisoned it in 1601, but the greatest danger may have been the quiet after: a farm building, a wooden floor laid over ancient joist holes, a window turned into a door. The tower gives up its secrets only to those who stop listening for glory and begin listening for life.

Rectangular tower (4.8m N-S; 8.9m E-W) on short promontory projecting from E side of Sherkin Island, overlooking Baltimore Harbour; overlooked from W. Remains of bawn wall cross neck of promontory to W of tower. Tower now stands to two storeys but originally higher; modified in recent times as farm building (now disused). Ground floor entrance in W wall blocked; window in N wall now used as doorway. Ground level covered by modern wooden floor but corbels and joist holes of original wooden floor evident. First floor entered by door in W wall; mural passage on S side of doorway leads to tall narrow loop in SW corner; mural passage on N side leads to spiral stairs in NW corner. Small mural chamber in N wall entered from W side window embrasure. Splayed and lintelled windows set into square-set arched embrasures; lights square or round headed. Tower now covered by modern galvanised roof. Heavily modified and poorly preserved section of bawn wall indicates position of original gateway with ruined mural tower immediately to N. Castle of the O'Driscoll clan attacked by citizens of Waterford in 1537; garrisoned by Spanish in 1601 (Coleman 1925, 26-33) (Westropp 1914,108-11). 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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