Historic Places in County Cork

Carrigadrohid Castle is situated on a rocky outcrop in the River Lee near the village of Carrigadrohid in central Cork. The castle is a ruined three storey tower in a picturesque setting on the river. It is joined to the river bank by a road bridge at second storey level which joins the eastern wall of the castle. Carrigadrohid Castle was built in the 15th century by the MacCarthys of Muskerry, and has been extended and modified over the years. In 1650, the castle was besieged by Parliamentary forces. The MacCarthys were dispossessed, and the castle was taken over by the Bowens who occupied it until the mid 18th century. The castle then fell into disrepair. In recent times, a local group has been established to preserve the castle

Carrignamuck Castle (also known as Dripsey Castle) is situated about a mile from the village of Dripsey on the banks of the River Dripsey. The castle is a ruined five storey tower house. The eastern wall was damage by Oliver Cromwell's troops in the 17th century. It is part of a chain of castles owned by the Lords of Muskerry which extended from Blarney to other side of Macroom. Facilities Carrignamuck Castle is believed to have been built in the late 15th century. It was built by MacCarthy, Lord of Muskerry who also built the famous Blarney Castle and a number of other Irish Castles in the region. It was customary for the Lord of Muskerry to live in Blarney Castle, while his successor occupied Carrignamuck Castle. In 1650, Oliver Cromwell's troops led by Lord Broghill, attacked and captured Carrignamuck Castle. During the bombardment, the eastern wall was holed. Some years later, the castle was bought by the Colthurst family who built a new house in the grounds. In 1903 the castle was purchased by industrialist and politician Andrew O'Shaughnessy, but has not been inhabited for many years.

Kilmeedy Castle stands as a ruined tower house in County Kerry, located in the townland of Kilmeedy in the barony of Trughanacmy, in the southwestern corner of Ireland. Tower houses of this type are quintessentially Irish medieval structures, built predominantly between the 14th and 17th centuries, and this example represents the kind of fortified domestic residence that once dotted the Kerry landscape in considerable numbers. While not among the most famous of Kerry's many castles, it holds genuine historical and archaeological interest as a remnant of the Gaelic and later Norman-influenced lordship that characterized this part of Munster before the upheavals of the early modern period. Its survival, even in ruined form, makes it a tangible connection to the medieval world of southwest Ireland, a world of competing clans, seasonal agricultural rhythms, and a deeply localized political order. The broader area around these coordinates sits in the hinterland between the town of Killarney to the north and the market town of Millstreet just across the Cork border to the east, in a landscape that transitions between the dramatic mountain ranges of Kerry and the gentler rolling farmland of the interior. The barony of Trughanacmy was historically associated with the MacCarthy Mór dynasty and its various branches, who were among the most powerful Gaelic lords of Munster throughout the medieval period. Tower houses throughout this region were typically either MacCarthy strongholds or those of their subordinate lords and allied families, used as centers of local authority and agricultural management. Without a specific documentary record tying this particular tower to a named lord or event that I can confirm with certainty, it would be irresponsible to attribute it definitively to one family, but the MacCarthy sphere of influence is the overwhelmingly likely context for its construction. Physically, Kerry tower houses in this interior zone tend to share certain characteristics: roughly square or rectangular plans of rubble limestone or sandstone construction, rising several storeys with walls of considerable thickness, narrow window openings, and in many cases a surviving bawn wall or traces of one enclosing a small courtyard. In a ruined state, as is typical for unrestored examples across rural Kerry, the structure may lack its upper floors and roof, leaving open sky where great timber beams once held the living spaces together. The stone takes on the silver-grey and mossy green hues characteristic of Kerry masonry, especially in a wet climate where lichen colonizes old walls with particular enthusiasm. Standing near such a structure, one becomes aware of the weight of the masonry, the depth of the window embrasures, and the way the thick walls would have made these buildings simultaneously cold and defensible. The surrounding countryside at these coordinates is pastoral and relatively quiet, the kind of Irish rural landscape defined by small fields bounded by stone walls and hawthorn hedges, with farmsteads scattered across gently undulating ground. The Deenagh and Flesk river valleys are not far distant, and the whole region carries the characteristic Kerry atmosphere of soft light filtered through Atlantic weather systems, with cloud shadows moving rapidly across green hills. The Paps of Anu, those distinctively shaped twin summits sacred in Irish mythology, are visible from much of this part of Kerry on a clear day, lending the landscape a deeper mythological resonance that predates any medieval castle by millennia. The proximity to Killarney means that visitors to the broader region have easy access, though this particular site sits away from the main tourist corridors. For visitors, it is worth noting that rural tower house ruins in Ireland of this type are very often on or adjacent to private farmland, and access considerations are therefore significant. There is no formal visitor infrastructure at a site of this nature — no car park, interpretive panels, or managed pathway — and the approach is likely via narrow country roads. The best approach for anyone wishing to visit is to consult the Ordnance Survey Ireland mapping (available via the OSi website or apps such as MapsIreland) to identify the precise access point, and to seek permission from any landowner if the structure sits within a working farm. The National Monuments Service of Ireland maintains records of protected structures, and this castle, like virtually all surviving tower houses, will be recorded on the Record of Monuments and Places, giving it a degree of legal protection. Summer months offer the most comfortable walking conditions and the longest daylight hours, though the Irish interior is green and atmospheric year-round. One of the quietly remarkable aspects of sites like Kilmeedy Castle is how thoroughly they have been absorbed back into the working agricultural landscape. Unlike the showcase castles of Kerry — Ross Castle on Lough Lein, or Carrigafoyle near the Shannon estuary — a ruin of this scale and remoteness tends to exist without fanfare, known primarily to local farmers and to the dedicated community of amateur historians, heritage enthusiasts, and walkers who seek out Ireland's lesser-documented medieval survivals. The very ordinariness of its setting is part of its interest: this was not a seat of great kings but a local node in a network of power, the home perhaps of a tánaiste or a minor lord, and its quiet persistence in a field corner is its own kind of testimony to the density of medieval habitation across what is today sometimes perceived as empty countryside.

Carrignacurra Castle is built on a rocky outcrop on the bank of the River Lee a mile east of Inchigeelagh. The castle is a four storey tower house. It is not quite square, with longest side 38 feet and shortest side 25 feet. The north west corner is an obtuse angle, and the south east corner is acute, with the other two corners right angled. The south east corner has a pointed triangular projection like a buttress (known as a redan), which was used as a defensive position to guard the south and east walls. There north western side has a wall-mounted turret (bartizan) on the corner for protecting the north and west walls. The east wall has a machicoulis (a projecting balcony with opening in the floor through which the occupants could drop stones and boiling liquids on attackers). The walls are about 50ft high but the battlements are missing. The corners have been damaged at the base with stones removed. Remains of a gable are attached to the east wall. A l5 foot high chimney is on the north wall. The ground floor has the main entrance, a small guard room, and a main chamber which was probably used as a store room. A spiral staircase leads to the upper floors. The first floor has a guard room which gives access to the redan which has three gun loops. The main chamber was probably a living area or store room. The second floor would have been the kitchen and living area and has a vaulted ceiling. The room has a single narrow window on the wet side, and a fireplace on the north wall. There is a passage within the north wall. On this floor is the garderobe or toilet. Access to the bartizan is from this floor, where there are five gun loops in the walls and two openings in the floor. The main living quarters for the family were on the third floor. This floor provides access to the fourth floor (attic) sleeping quarters and battlement wall walk. Carrignacurra Castle was built in the late 16th century, and was the seat of the O'Leary family. It was captured by O'Sullivan Beare in 1602, and later forfeited to the MacCarthys in 1641. The castle was taken over by the Masters family in the 18th century. The castle is undergoing restoration, and the corners have been repaired, having been vandalised in an attempt to remove stones. Timber floors have been installed on the second, third and fifth levels, and the attic level has been restored with the addition of a slated roof. Stonework has been repaired around the gun loops, windows, and door surrounds. The restoration is in keeping with the original construction.

Kanturk Castle is an impressive ruined mansion located about 1.5km from the market town of Kanturk in County Cork. The castle is a rectangular four storey high Tudor-style mansion made from limestone rubble from a nearby quarry. The main structure is 28 m long by 11 m wide with a huge square tower at each corner. Each tower is five storeys and about 29 m tall. Dressed limestone was used around the mullioned windows, and the cornice and corbel stones. The entrance doors, internal doors, and fireplaces are made from carved limestone. Some of the fireplaces have been removed and relocated in the nearby Lohort Castle. The main entrance is Renaissance style and located on the western side - the steps to the doorway are now missing. There is another entrance on the eastern side in Irish castellated style. Construction of Kanturk Castle is believed to have began around 1609. It was built by Dermot MacDonagh MacCarthy, after he was pardoned by the government, after his capture in the aftermath of the Battle of Kinsale in 1601. It is said that the castle was never completed and remained a roofless shell for centuries, but it is unclear whether this is the case. MacCarthy may have been ordered to stop work by the English, who were suspicious of the purpose of the castle, or he may have run out of finances. Over the years, the property changed ownership a number of times, and since July 2000 has been managed by An Taisce, The National Trust for Ireland. It was donated to the National Trust by Lucy, Countess of Egmont under the condition that it be kept as a ruin in the same condition as it was at time of hand over. It is designated as a National Monument. Legends According to legend, the seven stone masons that worked on the Castle were all named John, giving the castle the name of 'Carrig-na-Shane-Saor' meaning The Rock of John the Mason.

Lisgriffin Castle is a ruined tower house located in County Cork, in the southern province of Munster in the Republic of Ireland. Tower houses of this type are among the most characteristic medieval structures of the Irish landscape, and Lisgriffin represents a relatively modest but historically meaningful example of the form. Situated in a quiet rural area of north Cork, the structure speaks to the layered feudal history of this part of Ireland, where Anglo-Norman and Gaelic Irish families competed for land, power, and prestige across several turbulent centuries. While it does not command the same fame as some of Cork's more visited heritage sites, it holds genuine interest for those drawn to the quieter, less curated corners of Irish history. The tower house at Lisgriffin almost certainly dates to the late medieval period, most likely constructed somewhere between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, which was the great era of tower house building across Munster. The land in this part of Cork was associated with various Anglo-Norman settler families who arrived in Ireland following the twelfth-century Norman invasion and gradually intermarried with or displaced earlier Gaelic landholders. The name Lisgriffin itself is anglicised from an Irish placename, with "Lis" deriving from the Irish "lios," meaning a ringfort or fortified enclosure, suggesting that the site may have had an even earlier fortified presence before the medieval tower was constructed. This layering of occupation — from early medieval ringfort to later tower house — is extremely common across Cork and Kerry and speaks to the long continuity of defensible settlement in these river valleys and hillsides. Physically, what survives at Lisgriffin is characteristic of a ruined Munster tower house: thick limestone or sandstone walls, partially collapsed or roofless, with vegetation beginning to reclaim the stonework. These structures were typically four or five storeys tall, with narrow windows suited to defence, a vaulted basement for storage, and a residential chamber above. Ivy and moss tend to colonise such ruins generously in the mild and wet Cork climate, and visiting during spring or early summer offers the atmospheric combination of ancient stonework against vivid green growth. The silence around such ruins is often profound, broken primarily by birdsong and the occasional wind moving through gaps in the masonry. The surrounding landscape is characteristic of north Cork's gentle, pastoral countryside. Rolling farmland, hedgerows thick with hawthorn and blackthorn, and quiet country lanes define the area. The broader region around this part of Cork sits within reach of the Blackwater Valley, one of the most historically rich river corridors in Ireland, lined with castles, abbeys, and estate houses from successive waves of settlement. The nearest significant towns in the region would include Mallow to the southeast, which serves as a central hub for north Cork, and Kanturk a little to the west, itself home to a remarkable unfinished castle from the early seventeenth century. The gentle hills and quiet roads of this area reward slow exploration by car or bicycle. For practical purposes, Lisgriffin Castle is a rural site with no formal visitor infrastructure. There is no admission fee, no visitor centre, and no on-site signage of significance. Access is typically by car along minor country roads, and visitors should be aware that such sites often sit on or adjacent to private farmland, meaning it is courteous and sometimes necessary to seek permission before approaching across fields. The nearest services — fuel, food, and accommodation — would be found in Mallow or Kanturk. The best time to visit is between late spring and early autumn, when daylight is long and the roads are passable, though the castle in a winter mist carries its own particular melancholy beauty. Sturdy footwear is advisable, as the ground around ruined towers is frequently uneven and damp. One of the quietly compelling aspects of visiting a site like Lisgriffin is the reflection it invites on the sheer density of Ireland's medieval heritage. Cork alone contains hundreds of tower houses, many of them unmarked on tourist maps and visited by almost nobody beyond the occasional local historian or curious walker. Each one was once someone's home, stronghold, and symbol of status. Lisgriffin, modest as it now appears, was once the centre of a small but real world of agriculture, tenancy, and local power. That world has entirely dissolved, leaving only the stone shell rising from the Cork farmland as evidence that it existed at all.

Ballyclogh Castle is a ruined tower house located in County Cork, in the southern part of Ireland, positioned in the rural landscape west of Mallow and north of Kanturk. Tower houses of this type are among the most characteristic medieval structures of Munster, and this example represents the kind of fortified residence that dominated the Irish countryside between roughly the thirteenth and seventeenth centuries. The castle sits within a predominantly agricultural setting, surrounded by the rolling green fields and hedgerow-divided pastures that define this part of north Cork. While not one of the more famous or heavily visited castles in the county, it holds genuine historical interest as a tangible remnant of the Gaelic and Anglo-Norman feudal landscape that once shaped the region. The area around these coordinates falls within territory historically associated with the MacCarthy and other prominent Gaelic families of Munster, though much of north Cork also saw significant Anglo-Norman influence following the twelfth-century conquest. Tower houses like Ballyclogh were built and occupied by local lords, landowners, and their extended kin groups, serving as both defensive strongholds and symbols of status. The construction of such a tower would typically have occurred between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, a period of considerable instability in Munster during which fortified residences became widespread across the province. The plantation era of the seventeenth century, which dramatically reshaped land ownership in Cork and the surrounding counties, likely contributed to the eventual abandonment and ruination of the structure. Physically, a tower house of this type in County Cork would present as a tall, thick-walled rectangular keep, typically constructed from locally quarried limestone or sandstone, with small narrow windows that reflect both the defensive priorities and the building traditions of the medieval period. The walls, even in ruin, tend to be impressively massive, often several feet thick, and the stonework weathers to a texture that seems almost to merge with the landscape over centuries of exposure to the soft, wet Irish climate. Mosses, ferns, and ivy typically colonise the upper courses of such structures, and the interior, open to the sky after centuries of decay, tends to fill with vegetation and fallen stone. Visiting such a site in person carries a quiet, contemplative quality — the sounds of wind, birdsong, and occasionally distant farm machinery provide the acoustic backdrop. The surrounding landscape is characteristic of the Blackwater Valley hinterland, a region of considerable natural beauty with gentle hills, riverside meadows, and the kind of deep rural quiet that draws visitors seeking an authentic rather than commercialised Irish experience. The town of Kanturk, a few kilometres to the east, is a notable nearby destination in its own right, home to Kanturk Castle, a far more substantial and better-documented early seventeenth-century fortified mansion that is maintained by the Office of Public Works. Mallow, one of the principal towns of north Cork, lies further to the southeast and offers accommodation, restaurants, and onward transport connections. The Blackwater River, one of Ireland's great salmon rivers, flows through this general region. For practical visiting purposes, rural tower house ruins in this part of Cork are often located on or adjacent to private farmland, and access should be treated accordingly. Visitors should exercise care and courtesy, checking whether the site is accessible from a public road or requires permission from a landowner. There is no managed visitor infrastructure at a site of this nature — no car park, interpretive panels, or entry fee — which is part of its appeal for those who enjoy undiscovered heritage. The best times to visit are late spring through early autumn, when daylight hours are long and the roads and laneways of rural Cork are most easily navigated. Sturdy footwear is advisable given the typical condition of ground around ruined structures in the Irish countryside. One of the quietly fascinating aspects of sites like Ballyclogh Castle is how thoroughly they have receded from popular consciousness while remaining physically present in the landscape. Ireland has an extraordinary density of medieval tower houses — estimates suggest several thousand survive in varying states across the island — and many, like this one, exist outside any formal heritage designation or tourist infrastructure. They are simply there, in the corner of a field or along a country lane, known locally but rarely appearing on any itinerary. This anonymity is itself a kind of historical document: it reflects the degree to which the violent transitions of Irish history, from Gaelic lordship through plantation and on into the modern era, severed communities from the built legacy of the medieval past.

Castle Barrett (Castel More) is situated on open grassy position south of the town of Mallow. The castle is in ruins, with just a few parts of the walls standing like stone sentinels. The remaining fragments are from the north and east walls. Castle Barrett was built around the 13th century. It was originally known as Castle More or Castlemore. In 1439 it was taken over by the Earl of Desmond. The Barrett family acquired the castle in the 17th century. The castle was damaged in 1645 by Oliver Cromwell's army. After the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, John Barrett who fought on the side of the Jacobites lost to the Williamites. Castle Barrett was destroyed and 12,000 acres of Barrett land was forfeited.

Liscarroll Castle is an impressive ruined fortress located in the village of Liscarroll in County Cork. The castle, now in ruins, was a large rectangular structure about 240 feet by 120 feet in size with large rounded towers at each corner. The surrounding walls were about 30 feet tall, with the main entrance in the south wall guarded by a large square tower. There are some underground passages near the castle, but the entrances to these are now closed up. The south east tower and large parts of the curtain wall have been destroyed Liscarroll Castle was built in the 13th century by the De Barry family. In 1642, at the start of the Irish Confederate Wars, it was besieged by Irish army forces under the command of Lord Mountgarret. The castle occupants surrendered after a siege of 13 days, but the following day the Earl of Inchiquin arrived with reinforcements and defeated the Irish army at the Battle of Liscarroll, which claimed the lives of 1500 men. The Irish army again captured the castle in 1646, with an army of 5000 led by Lord Castlehaven. After the wars the castle was granted to the Percevals (the Earls of Egmont) and it remained in their possession for many years. The Arts The castle is referred to in an 1854 poem by Callaghan Hartstonge Gayner which ends with the line "We'll stand as freemen yet, beneath those old Liscarroll walls".

Conna Castle is situated on a limestone bluff overlooking the River Bride 6.5 km west of Tallow in County Cork. The castle is a ruined five storey square tower house about 85 feet tall. There is only one ceiling still intact, and a few remains of the bawn can still be seen. Conna Castle was built around 1550 by Sir Thomas FitzGerald, eldest son of the 14th Earl of Desmond . In 1599, Conna was captured by the Earl of Essex and partly destroyed. The castle was subsequently repaired by Richard Boyle, the Earl of Cork, who was granted the castle. In 1645, the castle was captured by Irish Confederate troops led by Lord Castlehaven. In 1653 is was damaged by fire in a blaze which claimed the lives of the three daughters of the castle's steward. Hilary L'Estrange bought the castle in 1851, and his son left the castle to the state when he died in 1915.

Coppingers Court is situated in a field south of Ballyvireen in southern County Cork. The main state rooms were in a central two storey structure with two four storey wings on the northern side. The wings have prominent corbelled parapets, with machicolations (floor opening through which missiles could be dropped on attackers). There are also machicolations on the southern side of the main block. Most of the windows are gone, with some remnants still visible in the south wing. The servants quarters were in the roof attic. An octagonal chimney is still visible This stronghouse was built by local merchant, Sir Walter Coppinger in the 1620s and 1630s. One of his descendants, Walter Coppinger, a rebel Catholic, was outlawed by the Williamite government in 1691. The house was later held by the Beecher family.

Kilcrea Castle is a substantial ruined tower house and friary complex situated in County Cork, in the Republic of Ireland, and it stands as one of the more rewarding and atmospheric medieval sites in the region. The site actually comprises two distinct but closely related ruins: a Franciscan friary founded in the fifteenth century and a separate tower house castle, both of which have survived in a state of picturesque and largely unrestored ruin. What makes Kilcrea particularly compelling among Cork's many ancient sites is the combination of these two structures in a single visit, the relative accessibility of the ruins, and the genuine sense that the place has not been over-managed or sanitised for tourism. Visitors come away with a strong impression of authentic medieval Cork rather than a curated heritage experience. The friary at Kilcrea was founded around 1465 by Cormac Láidir MacCarthy, Lord of Muskerry, one of the most powerful Gaelic lords of his era in Munster. He established it for the Observantine Franciscans, a reformed branch of the Franciscan order that emphasised stricter observance of the rule of poverty, and the friary became an important centre of religious life in the region during the late medieval period. The MacCarthy lords of Muskerry maintained a close relationship with the friary, using it as a place of burial and patronage. The tower house nearby is also associated with the MacCarthy family and served as a residence reflecting the dual character of late medieval Gaelic lordship, which combined military, political, and ecclesiastical concerns in a way quite distinct from Anglo-Norman patterns elsewhere in Ireland. The friary was suppressed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII in the sixteenth century, and the friars were expelled, though the community apparently lingered or returned intermittently in subsequent decades as was common in Ireland where enforcement was uneven. The buildings fell gradually into disuse and decay after that point. One of the most notable figures buried at Kilcrea is Art Ó Laoghaire, an eighteenth-century Irish chieftain whose death in 1773 inspired one of the most celebrated poems in the Irish language, the Caoineadh Airt Uí Laoghaire, a lament composed by his wife Eibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill. His grave at Kilcrea gives the site an additional layer of cultural and literary significance that resonates deeply with those familiar with Irish language tradition. Physically, Kilcrea presents itself as a hauntingly beautiful ruin set in green farmland. The friary church retains significant standing walls, with graceful Gothic window openings whose tracery has mostly fallen away but whose arched forms remain legible and evocative. The cloister area, though roofless and overgrown in places, still communicates the enclosed, contemplative character it once had. The tower house rises nearby with the solid, slightly forbidding mass typical of Irish tower houses of the period, its walls still largely intact to a considerable height. The whole site has a soft, worn quality, the stone darkened with lichen and moss, and on overcast days in particular it takes on a melancholy grandeur that feels entirely appropriate to its history. The sounds at Kilcrea tend to be those of the surrounding countryside — birdsong, wind moving through the grass, and the occasional distant farm noise — giving it a quietude that enhances rather than diminishes its atmosphere. The landscape surrounding Kilcrea is the gentle, well-watered countryside of the Bride River valley in mid-Cork, an area of dairy farms, hedgerows, and small country roads. The site sits close to the River Bride, a tributary of the Lee, and the low-lying fields around it are typical of this part of Cork — green, slightly damp, and ringed by low hills. The village of Ovens is a few kilometres to the east, and the town of Ballincollig, with its own significant heritage in the form of the Royal Gunpowder Mills, lies not far to the northeast, making it possible to combine a visit to Kilcrea with other sites in the area. Cork city itself is roughly fifteen kilometres to the east, close enough to make Kilcrea a very manageable half-day excursion from the city. Getting to Kilcrea requires either a car or bicycle, as there is no meaningful public transport serving the immediate vicinity of the ruins. From Cork city, the most straightforward route is to take the N22 westward toward Macroom and turn off onto local roads in the direction of Ovens and Kilcrea. The ruins are accessed via a narrow country lane, and there is limited informal parking nearby. Access to the ruins themselves is generally open, as the site is maintained by the Office of Public Works, which is responsible for many of Ireland's national monuments, though there is no visitor centre or formal facilities on site. The ruins are best visited in dry weather simply for comfort, as the ground around them can be muddy after rain. Spring and early summer are particularly rewarding times to visit, when the surrounding fields are lush and wildflowers appear in and around the ruined walls. One of the quieter but genuinely moving aspects of visiting Kilcrea is the presence of the grave of Art Ó Laoghaire within the friary. He was shot in 1773 by Abraham Morris, a High Sheriff of Cork, following a dispute rooted in the Penal Laws, which at the time prevented Catholics from owning a horse worth more than five pounds. Ó Laoghaire refused to sell his fine mare for that price and was declared an outlaw. The lament composed by his wife Eibhlín Dubh is considered one of the masterpieces of oral poetry in the Irish tradition, and knowing this history while standing in the quiet ruin lends the visit an emotional weight that purely architectural appreciation cannot supply. Kilcrea is, in this sense, not just a place of stones and arches but a site woven into the living literary and cultural memory of Ireland.

Elizabeth Fort is built on a rocky outcrop overlooking the city of Cork. It is located on Barrack Street in the heart of the city. Elizabeth Fort is star-shaped stone fort on an earthern bank. All that remains today is the outer wall of the fort, the interior having been burned down during the Civil War. Access to the fort is from the east side from Fort St. This entrance has an arched opening surrounding by square limestone stones. The limestone ramparts and corner bastions of the east wall remain in intact from the original construction in the early 17th century. The fort offers exceptional views of Cork city from the ramparts and from the timber viewing gallery along the northern side of the courtyard. Facilities Elizabeth Fort used to be home to An Garda Siochana (police) station. During the summer months, the fort hosts various Irish craft and food markets, and also historical re-enactments. During the winter months the fort houses Cork City's first ice skating rink protected from the elements. The ice rink hosts the 7UP Christmas On Ice experience. A range of winter ice skating events are catered for including birthdays on ice, corporate events, silent discos, and other fun activities on the ice. The venue has a cafe serving hot drinks and snacks. Visitors can also enjoy the food at the historic Gateway Bar. An Garda Siochana vacated the Fort in 2013 and it is now solely a tourism site, open 10am - 5pm Tuesday - Sunday. Plans are in place to transform the old Garda Barracks in the interior into an interpretive centre and museum with visitor facilities and amenities. The entrance is on Barrack Street. Elizabeth Fort was built in 1601 during the reign of Elizabeth I, by Sir George Carew, the president of Munster at the time. The fort was built as an army base to protect the city, but it was demolished by the people of Cork in 1603 when James 1 came to the throne to prevent it being used against them. The people were subsequently forced by Lord Mountjoy to rebuilt it with an even stronger structure, which was completed in 1624. It was modified again by Oliver Cromwell's men in1649. Williamite forces captured the castle in 1690 when they besieged the city. In more recent times, the fort has been used for a variety of purposes. In 1835 it was a female prison, and later became used as a military base by British forces and the Black & Tans after World War 1. During the Irish Civil War in 1922, the barracks was destroyed by fire leaving the internal buildings burnt out. Until 2013, it was in use as a police station and is administered by the Office of Public Works who have undertaken restoration work.

Castlemartyr is a ruined castle situated in the grounds of Castlemartyr Resort, a 5 star luxury resort hotel in the town of Castlemartyr, about 20 minutes drive from Cork City. Castlemartyr is set amongst picturesque woodland. On the site is a ruined 13th century castle that once that belonged to the Knights Templar, and a 17th century manor house. The entrance to the estate is via an impressive gated entrance in Castlemartyr village. The Manor House has been restored to its original elegance and is now a focal point of the Castlemartyr Resort. Eleven of the resort's 103 rooms are in the old Manor House and the rest are in a modern building alongside the manor. Facilities Castlemartyr Resort, which opened in 2007, is one of the finest luxury hotels in Ireland, and one of the best in Europe. It is a five star hotel with 103 guest rooms and suites and a luxury spa. Rooms and suites range in size from 500 square feet to 3000 square feet. The centerpiece of the resort is a beautifully restored manor with many of the original features preserved, including an ornate Rococo ceiling in what was once the Ballroom. Castlemartyr is magnificent venue for your Irish wedding. The resort only hosts one wedding per day, and offers a complimentary room in the Manor House for the bride and groom on their wedding night. To make your day special, your wedding at Castlemartyr offers a red carpet welcome, personalized menus, advice on recommended local suppliers, complimentary Capel suite room hire for weddings with over 120 guests, use of formal gardens and resort grounds. The castle was first built in 1210 by the Knights Templar under leadership of Richard Earl de Clare, also known as Strongbow. By the mid 15th century, the castle was the seat for the local seneschal appointed by James, Earl of Ormond. Castlemartyr was captured in 1569 by Sir Henry Sidney, when Ormond's men abandoned the castle overnight after a cannon attack. It was subsequently given to Sir Walter Raleigh, and later taken by the seneschal John FitzGerald. The Earl of Ormond attacked the castle in 1579. John FitzGerald was eventually captured in 1583 and died a few years later in Dublin Castle in 1589. In the 1640s, the castle again saw conflict and changed hands twice more before being set on fire to prevent it being used as a base for the Irish Confederate forces. During the civil war, the castle was captured by the Irish, and then recaptured by the Williamites in 1690, but was badly damaged and eventually abandoned and fell into disrepair. During the 17th century, Richard Boyle, the first Earl of Cork built the magnificent Manor House.

Drishane Castle is situated northeast of Millstreet near where the Finnow river flows into the Blackwater. The castle is a 72 feet high tower house with rounded corners. It stands in the grounds of a large three storey 18th century house built by the Wallis family. The castle is in a good state of repair, but is not currently lived in. Facilities Drishane Castle is open to the public during summer from 9am to 5pm (between May and September). For the rest of the year, visits may be arranged by appointment. The castle has hosted a number of music concerts and fund raising events. The castle was built in the mid 15th century by Dermot McCarthy, the Lord of Munster, around 1450. In 1641 the castle was used as a garrison for Charles 1 supporters. The castle was taken over by the Wallis family in 1728, who built a large house in the grounds near the castle. The Wallis family owned the castle until late in the 19th century. During the Fenian rising of 1867, Drishane was garrisoned. It became a convent in 1909, owned by the Sisters of Infant Jesus, who operated a boarding school for secondary girls until 1992. The property was sold and was used as a centre for asylum seekers.