Kilcrea Castle

Kilcrea Castle, lies in the townland of the same name, south of the village of Farran, in County Cork in Ireland.

The first fortification at this site, a small mound in a marshy area south of the River Bride, was probably a fort dating back to the Bronze Age. Nothing of it remains.

Kilcrea Castle was built, together with the, also ruined, Franciscan Kilcrea Friary 500 meters to the east, in the mid-15th century by Cormac Laidir MacCarthy, Lord of Muskerry. He also built the famous Blarney Castle and Carrignamuck Castle. Cormac was killed in battle in 1494 and lies buried in the friary.

At the end of the 16th century the area suffered from raids by the English and in 1599 the castle was garrisoned by English troops. They left in 1603.

The castle consists of a 5-storey rectangular tower house. It has a rectangular bawn attached to its east side. Apparently this bawn would originally have had 2 square corner towers of which only one remains at present.

Although Kilcrea Castle is on private farmland, it can freely be visited. You just have to make a short walk over a footpath beginning at the car park in front of the friary. A great castle to visit, together with the friary. Situated in a field south of the castle is the ruin of the 18th century Kilcrea House.

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