County: Cork Site name: CARRIGROHANE CASTLE, Carrigrohane
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 73:49(01) Licence number: 02E1375
Author: Florence M. Hurley
Site type: Castle - Anglo-Norman masonry castle
Period/Dating: Late Medieval (AD 1100-AD 1599)
ITM: E 561470m, N 571739m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 51.896480, -8.559825
Pre-construction testing was carried out on the site of a proposed dwelling adjacent to the ruin of Carrigrohane Castle. The castle was probably built in the early 13th century by the de Cogan family. Despite being close to Cork city, little is known of its history. In 1421 a skirmish was fought between branches of the MacCarthy clan nearby, and the survivors took refuge in the castle. It is also mentioned in 1464 as marking the western limit of the liberties of the city. The castle appears to have been in ruin by the late 16th century, when a fortified house was built next to it. The restoration of this house in the 1840s may also have removed most of the castle ruins.
Only a small part of the western curtain wall of the castle survives. The angle of the western and northern walls and a small, projecting, 17th-century tower were removed by Cork County Council after a rockfall onto the N22 below the castle in 1989–90. Additional consolidation works in 2000–1 saw a reinforced concrete retaining wall being built where the north wall stood.
The house will be built a short distance to the west of the castle remains. This area is currently overgrown with bushes and some mature trees. Four trenches were dug on the footprint of the house and driveway. The underlying limestone bedrock was found just below the surface. A single sherd of blackware was the only find.
8 Marina Park, Victoria Road, Cork
