Castle Magner (in Ruins)

On W side of Ketragh River glen. Fragmentary remains of rectangular bawn (c. 42m N-S; c. 38m E-W) and much-ruined central tower. Bawn and area immediately to W occupied by farmyard; 2-storey residential farm-house, immediately NE of tower, now abandoned. Only SE corner of tower now stands to full height, otherwise largely reduced to overgrown pile of rubble. Externally corner takes form of D-shaped extension to S end of E wall of tower; internally this space is circular (diam. 2.15m) and once contained spiral wooden stairs which gave access to all four main floors of tower via doors with stone surrounds: lintelled at ground- and 3rd-floor levels; with pointed arch at 1st-and 2nd-floor levels. On top of a outside of wall is continuous machicolation carried on ten corbels. Short section of south wall of main block survives (L 2.2m); it breaks off at line of window embrasures; this wall stands to full height and is capped by shallow cornice. East wall much more broken down but runs 4.1m to NE corner where short return (L 2.2m) of N wall survives. Early photograph (Grove White 1905-25, vol. 2, opp. 108) shows more of N wall standing, including lower part of NW corner, and broken vault over main ground-floor chamber. Nineteenth-century pamphlet described the castle as '56 feet high, flanked with one round tower, with a battery' (ibid., 118). Best preserved section of bawn wall is N side, running c. 20m from NE corner. This contains some plain blocked-up window lights and one rectangular light with mullion and hood moulding. Eastern-most section of this wall, and adjacent length of E wall, formed side and end walls of 2-storey 18th-century house; this house superseded by 2-storey gable-ended farm building which incorporates N end of former house. South section of E bawn wall and E section of S bawn wall largely reduced to foundation level. Low section of bawn wall (H c. 3m) in SW corner formed end (S) and side (W) walls of 1-storey farm building which is now otherwise removed; only intact feature appears to be much-ruined window embrasure in W section of wall. Another 1-storey farm building in NW corner of bawn may incorporate part of bawn wall in its side (W) and end (N) walls but no original features noted; on E side of latter wall is short low rough section of walling which is separated from first-mentioned section of bawn by gap which forms present entrance into farmyard. Castle of the Magner family, followers and tenants of the Barrys (MacCotter and Nicholls 1996, 211); forfeited in mid-17th century and granted to Brettridge (Grove White 1905-25, 2, 120). 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

Built in the 17th century by the Magner family, a local Anglo-Irish landholding family, Castle Magner is remembered as a testament to early colonial architecture and landownership in the region. Its ruins reflect the historical presence and influence of the Magner family in the area.