Carrigaline Castle

Carrigaline Castle lies on a rock, east of the town of Carrigaline, in County Cork in Ireland.

Carrigaline castle was built by the Norman family of de Cogan that came to Ireland during the Norman Invasion. It was probably started by Milo de Cogan around 1180 but not completed until the 1190s.

In 1438 Carrigaline Castle was acquired by the Earls of Desmond and a century later was leased to the Fitzmaurice Fitzgeralds. In 1568 it was given to Warham St. Ledger, an English planter. James Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald, a Catholic, rebelled against this Tudor decision. As a result Lord Deputy Sidney besieged and captured the castle from James and then handed it over to Warham. In 1613 the St Ledgers sold out to Daniel Gookin from Kent.

Carrigaline Castle was vacated later in the 17th century and the village, originally situated directly next to the castle, moved in the 18th century to the bridge crossing over the Owenabue river. Over the centuries the castle has been dilapidated by local farmers for building materials and in 1986 a whole section of it suffered a major collapse.

A nice ruin but in a dangerous state. It is situated on private grounds and therefore not accessible.

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