What is recorded here

Duarrigle Castle stood on a cliff edge above the Blackwater River, belonging to the O'Keeffes before Cromwellian wars broke its walls. The tower measured barely five metres across, yet its thick stone and rounded corners resisted time long enough for a nineteenth-century house to swallow it. That house has since collapsed into ruin, leaving only the old tower walls and two mysterious corbels to mark where human life once climbed.

Close to cliff edge, overlooking Blackwater River to S. Remains of tower incorporated into 19th-century country house, now in ruins (14891). At W end of 19th-century house, N, S and W walls of tower stand two storeys high, enclosing an area 5.4m N-S x 5.7m E-W Two further storeys added to these in 19th century. Tower walls (T c.1.6m) have external base batter and rounded corners. All windows of 19th-century appearance; only original features noted are two corbels in N wall and one in S wall, between ground- and 1st-floor levels. Castle of the O'Keeffes, reputedly destroyed during Cromwellian wars (Ua Cadhla 1976-7, 16). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). 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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