Carriganass Castle (in Ruins) — Carriganass (bantry By.)

On N bank of Owvane river commanding view in all directions; overlooked from N. Remains of tower-house stand in SW quadrant of rectangular bawn. W wall of tower (Wth 10.3m), most of N wall (L 12m) and short return of S wall (L 2m) stand to four storey. 'Ghost' of segmental vaults over 1st and 3rd floors visible on inside of W face (axis E-W). Central window opes in W wall at all levels; first floor embrasure has mural passage on either side; single ogee-headed light at 3rd floor. Small mural chamber in N wall at 1st floor level; mural passage visible in broken face of S wall at 3rd floor level. Similar bartizans atop NW and SW corners: supported by a corbel on each wall with a straight face set across corner. Bawn roughly rectangular in plan (26m N-S; 48m E-W) projecting towers at each corner; S face overlooks rock-cut gorge. Appears late in date, probably 17th century. Eastern half altered to accommodate modern farm buildings (now disused). W wall and original W end of N wall pierced by many gun loops. Outward facing corners NE and SE corner towers acutely angled, similar to bastions on star-shaped forts; NW tower more bluntly pointed; SW tower roughly rectangular. SW tower has 4 tiers of nesting boxes on each face at 1st floor level. Castle of the O'Sullivan clan reputedly built by Dermot O'Sullivan about 1540 (Healy 1988, 170); surrendered after the fall of Dunboy in 1602 (Ó Murchadha 1985, 308). See Excavations 2002, 63, nos. 247-249 and Excavations 2004, 46-7, no. 212. 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