Carrignamuck Castle (in Ruins) — Carrignamuck

On W shoulder of Dripsey River valley, now in grounds of Dripsey Castle (CO072-018----). Five-storey tower, repaired in 1866 (Healy 1988, 34) when present slate roof, fireplaces in N wall, wooden front door etc., were inserted. L-shaped in plan: rectangle (12.8m N-S; 9.75m E-W), with rectangular projection to E at N end of E wall (5.2m N-S; 3m E-W) (see plan Gillman 1892a, 15); rectangular block contains main chamber, at each level; projection contains stairs and smaller chambers. Entered by ground-floor door in centre of E wall of main block; door surround has pointed arch and is set in recessed rectangular frame. Short lobby gives access straight through to main ground-floor chamber; door on S side completely blocked; door on N side gives access to short lintelled passage, this turns at right angle to E, where it rises as mural stairs to SE corner of projection, then continues upwards as spiral to 3rd-floor level. Window embrasures in main chambers are square-set, covered by segmental vaults; window embrasures elsewhere in tower have splayed and lintelled embrasures. Main ground-floor chamber (9.2m N-S; 5.55m E-W) has windows in centre of S and W walls, with blocked lights. Fireplace in centre of N wall inserted into window embrasure. Recent concrete floor covers rock outcropping mentioned by Gillman (ibid., 14-15). Also at ground-floor level is small chamber (1.9m N-S; 3.3m E-W) in projection, covered by round vault (axis E-W), now entered through inserted door on E side. At 1st-floor level, door on W side of spiral stairs opens into short lintelled passage giving access in turn to garderobe chamber within projection, murder-hole chamber within E wall of main block, and, through now-blocked doorway, to main 1st-floor chamber. Garderobe chamber (3.3m E-W; 0.9m N-S), covered by lintels, occupies N side of projection; garderobe opening set into E end of N wall; lit by window in E wall. Short flight of steps leads up into murder-hole chamber (2.9m N-S; 1.1m E-W), covered by pointed wicker-centred vault; window in E wall; at S end is lintelled door into second chamber (4.8m N-S; 1.1m E-W), roofed by continuation of same vault; blocked window in S wall. Main 1st-floor chamber covered by rounded vault (axis N-S); lit by windows in centre of N and S walls; N embrasure has stone seat along both sides, light blocked; window in S wall altered to take wooden tracery frame, formerly in Aghabulloge C of I parish church (CO061-080004-). At 2nd-floor level, door on W side of spiral stairs opens into short lintelled passage giving access N into garderobe chamber up short flight of steps, and straight through to main 2nd-floor chamber. Garderobe chamber (2.9m E-W; 1.3m N-S), covered by lintels, is in N side of projection; garderobe opening in NW corner; blocked window in E wall. Main 2nd-floor chamber (9.2m N-S; 6.4m E-W) has fireplace inserted into window embrasure in centre of N wall; fireplace N of centre in W wall, missing lintel and breast, may be original. Lit by windows in centre of W, S and E walls, lights missing or altered. At 3rd-floor level, top of spiral stairs opens into short lintelled stairway (L c. 2m) rising up to W, giving access straight through to main 3rd-floor chamber (now blocked); on N side of passage short flight of steps ascends to N before turning at right angle to E, giving entry to small chamber (1.8m E-W; 2.1m N-S) in projection, lit by windows in S and E walls; on S side of passage straight mural stairs rise to SE corner of tower, giving access to main 4th-floor chamber through door with pointed arch. This chamber has window in centre of N wall converted to fireplace; immediately on E side is splayed and lintelled window embrasure, with single flat-headed light, probably inserted when former window converted to fireplace. Window in centre of S wall blocked, only lintel of double flat-headed light survives, covered by hood moulding. Main 4th-floor chamber now covered by 19th-century slate roof, with gables atop N and S walls, each topped by small chimney stack. Much-ruined fireplace in centre of W wall, flanked by two blocked windows of which southern one has double square-headed light with hood moulding; window in centre of S wall, missing light. Embrasure of latter window has door in W side which gives access to stairs rising to SW corner of tower, where it continues as spiral to wall-walk level. Lintelled door in centre of E wall gives access to lintelled passage running N and entering chamber in projection (3.4m N-S; 3.55m E-W); windows in E and S walls, both lights blocked; now covered by galvanised roof but original roof was lintelled; there was a further chamber above, of which only fireplace in NE corner survives. Wall-walk intact atop tower but battlements entirely missing. Immediately NE of tower, built against sharp fall in ground, is overgrown terrace, which is linked by short flight of steps up to equally overgrown area immediately E of tower. Lower terrace somewhat bastion-shaped in plan; angle facing river to E topped by small rounded pinnacle resting on moulded corbel; just N of angle is lintelled stairway passage running down through wall. Gillman (ibid., 16-17) interpreted these features as remains of bawn enclosure but as likely to be result or 18th- or 19th-century landscaping of demesne. Known as Carrig na Muc Castle; according to tradition built by Cormac Láidir MacCarthy, lord of Muskerry 1455-1495 (Gillman ibid., 17-8). Attacked by Broghill in 1650 when cannon made breach in E wall which was later repaired (ibid., 36). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 3: Mid Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009