Carrigrohane Castle (in Ruins) — Carrigrohane

On top of a sheer limestone cliff-face, overlooking Lee river to N, on W side of renovated early 17th-century fortified house (CO073-049002-). N and W walls of rectangular structure (c. 13m N-S; c. 10m E-W), possibly of 13th century date, stand to 1st floor level; lintelled window ope in W wall at ground level, now blocked; large broken central window ope in N wall at 1st floor level. Later corner tower (c. 3m square), probably 15th/16th century, built onto NW corner of structure. This has wicker-centred vault over ground floor; at 1st floor level are remains of two gun loops, but there were probably more. In recent times remains adapted as part of landscaped garden, including building of staircase at S end of W wall to give access to top of corner tower. In 1989 N half of structure demolished by Cork County Council following collapse of cliff-face below onto roadway. Local tradition attributes the founding of this castle to the Mac Carthys, it later passed to the Barretts (Coleman 1910, 4-8; Healy 1988, 35-6). See Excavations 2002, 64-5. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009