Dunmanus Castle
| Dunmanus Castle | |
|
County Cork | |
|---|---|
 Dunmanus Castle | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | V84613317 |
| Location: | 51°32’23"N, 9°39’51"W |
| History | |
| Built 1430 | |
| Information | |
| Condition: | Ruinous |
Dunmanus Castle stands in ruin next to Dunmanus Bay, on the north side of the Mizen Peninsula in County Cork. It was built in 1430 by Donogh More O'Mahony to stand guard over a natural harbour on the north side of the peninsula. It is one of the largest of the castles in the area still-standing.
In 1602 the castle was taken by Crown forces but later recaptured by the O'Mahonys. The castle was still in possession of the O'Mahonys in 1641, and was sold to Emmanuel Moore in 1655, then sold to Sir William Petty.
There is a story about the building of the castle:
When O'Mahoney was building his castles he had one for each of his sons. When he was building Dunmanus castle it was in the Knockeen's side he laid the foundation. There is a part of it still remaining. It goes by the name of the old castle. A half fool one day was passing by and he saw them at work. He told O'Mahoney it was a foolish place to build a castle, that the swells of the ocean and the river from the mountain would eat the foundation from it. O'Mahoney then asked him where would he build it and the fool showed him a rock at the opposite side of the river called the mount. Then O'Mahoney considered himself and found he had a mistake made, so he took the fool's advice and built the biggest castle of all the rest on the mount. It stands 63 feet high and 160 feet in circumference. He got the figure of his own head to be cut out in a stone and to be placed in the North West side of the castle, which can be seen there today about 6 feet from the top.[1]
In design, Dunmanus Castle seems to be a smaller version of Kilcoe Castle. Originally the castle would have been circled by a wall with flankers. The castle now consists of a rectangular tower four storeys high. In one corner a five-storey square tower projects on two sides.
The castle is in good repair, but it is now roofless.
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Dunmanus Castle) |
References
- Dunmanus Castle: Castles.nl
- Dunmanus Castle: Roaringwater Journal