Kilgobbin Castle

Kilgobbin Castle lies on a hill on the west bank of the River Bandon, west of the town of Kinsale, in County Cork in Ireland.

Kilgobbin Castle, a square 5-storey keep, is said to have been built by the MacCarthy Riabhachs, but when I do not know. The Sarsfield family took it over in the early 17th century, and it again changed hands when the Palmer family took over. By the 18th century, the castle was abandoned and fell into disrepair.

In 2004, extensive restoration work was carried out by Martin McCarthy. This involved cleaning down and re-pointing the stone, restoring windows and stonework, removing a large oak tree which had grown on top of the castle, replacing the battlements and putting a slate roof back on the castle.

Attached to the north side of the keep is the ruin of a house which was abandoned in the 1960s.

A very nice tower. However its location on the grounds of a disused farm is a big contrast. Too bad I couldn't enter it. Being on private ground, it can not be visited.

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