Castles Nearby

Lohort Castle

Cecilstown, 10 minutes

Private - ask us

 

Built during The Crusades in the reign of King John in the early 13th Century. A MacCarthy stronghold subsequently owned by the Earls of Egmont and Sir Timothy O’Brien until the 20th Century. Can be viewed from a distance. Kanturk Castle was also a MacCarthy castle built to a little more leg room but it was never finished. 

Kanturk Castle

Kanturk, 10 minutes

 

The Castle was built for MacDonogh MacCarthy, Lord of Duhallow around 1601 as a defense against the English. But news of its building reached England where the Privy Council, being uneasy about its purpose, ordered that building work should stop, so the castle was probably never completed. Dermot MacCarthy, into whose hands it later came, mortgaged it in 1641 to Sir Philip Perceval who after taking possession took out many of the fixtures and fireplaces to be placed in another of his properties.

Ballybeg Abbey

Buttevant, 20 minutes

 

A monastery built by the Barrys (de Barra) of Buttevant. Be sure to see the Dovecote standing in the field by itself. Open to the public, off the N20 south of Buttevant.

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Blackwater Castle

Castletownroche, 36 minutes

Private - ask us

 

Owned by some of my best friends, the Nordstrom's, this private castle and it's prominent fortifications date back much farther and was of far more importance than that of Blarney Castle -  

10,000 years with the Mesolithic period to be exact! Of relatively more recent times, the Anglo Norman invasion 9000 years later brought the de la roches and many exciting and sordid tales over the centuries.

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Blarney Castle

Blarney, 39 minutes

 

Yet another MacCarthy castle, built in 1446 over previous fortifications. The MacCarthy's of the Muskerry dynasty were a cadet branch of the King's of Desmond where my father got his name. 

This is also the home of the the infamous Blarney Stone. If you have a head for heights, it's worth climbing the rounded stairs but the gardens and landscape are equally worth enjoying. 

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Kilcoleman Castle

Doneraile, 30 minutes

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In the late 1500’s and early 1600’s the home of Edmund Spenser and where he wrote Faerie Queene.

Knocknanuss Monument

Abraham's Cross, adjacent to Glenlohane

 

A monument to the Battle of Knocknanuss and those that died on November 13th, 1647. This was by far the bloodiest battle of these confederate wars with 5,000 men being killed in a day. My father Desmond and Hugh Bourke of Assolas House thought to have this made in remembrance.

Mallow Castle

Mallow, 20 minutes

 

The base of military power in Munster since Elizabethan times and the home of the Jephson-Norreys family until recent times. Private but the original castle can be viewed from the entrance gates.

Doneraile Court

Doneraile, 30 minutes

 

The seat of civil power since Elizabethan times and the home of the St Ledger family until recently. Now owned by the Office of Public Works. The grounds are a public park and the house can be viewed from the outside.

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Castlemagner Castle

Castlemagner, 10 minutes

Private - ask us

 

The castle was built by the Norman settler, Magnel (Magner) in the thirteenth century. In contrast to the castles of Kanturk and Mallow, this is a small castle but Magners held sway there for 400 years until they fell afoul of Oliver Cromwell in about 1650. The castle was sacked and the owners fled to France. While the Magner family did hold on to the lands and castle for a while longer, it was never restored and a separate house was built in the compound. This castle can be viewed from the graveyard road but it is on private land and permission to enter should be sought from the owner.

Liscarroll Castle

Liscarroll, 15 minutes

 

Stormed during the rebellion of 1641. Can be viewed from the entrance gates.

ADDITIONAL

• Jameson Heritage Centre, Midleton, Co Cork

• Cobh Heritage Centre, Cobh, Co Cork

• Ross Castle, Killarney, Co Kerry

• John’s Castle, Limerick

• Swiss Cottage, Cahir, Co Tipperary (March – November)

• Cahir Castle, Cahir, Co Tipperary

• Rock of Cashel, Cashel, Co Tipperary

• Blarney Castle, Blarney, Co Cork

• Charles Fort, Kinsale, Co Cork

• Bantry House, Bantry, Co Cork