List of coastal fortifications of County Cork

A number of coastal fortifications were built in County Cork, Ireland, to defend the county's coastline, and in particular the strategic berths at Cork Harbour, Kinsale Harbour, Berehaven and Bantry Bay. The fortifications initially included medieval tower houses built to defend strategic points (14th-17th centuries), subsequent Martello towers designed to counter threatened French invasion (18th-19th centuries), and later Palmerston Forts to further improve coastal defence (19th century). The latter were subsequently updated with longer-range coastal artillery - to support the naval defence of the "Western Approaches" during the First World War (early 20th century).

Cork Harbour

As one of the world's largest natural harbours, Cork Harbour's defences were built from medieval times up to the 20th century to defend the Port of Cork, Haulbowline naval yards, and Naval Air Station at Queenstown. Some of these defences were tested during the Siege of Cork (1690) and Fenian Rising (1867) - the harbour remains the home-port of the Irish Naval Service.

Name Location Type Image Era Coordinates Notes
Lower Harbour
Fort Davis (Carlisle) Whitegate Coastal defence fortification (Palmerston fort) 17th century (original castle)
19th century (reconstruction)		 51.816°N 8.261°W / 51.816; -8.261 Derelict in some areas,[1] but remains an active Defence Forces site.[2]
Fort Meagher (Camden) Crosshaven (Rams Head) Coastal defence fortification (Palmerston fort) 16th century (original fort)
19th century (reconstruction)		 51.808°N 8.279°W / 51.808; -8.279 Redeveloped as a heritage tourism site[3]
Fort Mitchel (Westmoreland) Spike Island Star fort (later prison) 18th/19th century 51.835°N 8.286°W / 51.835; -8.286 Redeveloped as a heritage tourism attraction.[4][5]
Fort Templebreedy (Battery) Crosshaven (Church Bay) Land battery 20th century 51.790°N 8.283°W / 51.790; -8.283 Demilitarised but remains Defence Forces property.[6]
Cove Fort Cobh (Cuskinny) Land battery 18th century 51.8518°N 8.2771°W / 51.8518; -8.2771 Build in 1743 to replace temporary batteries defending the berths at Cobh and Haulbowline.[7] Now the site of a Port of Cork facility and memorial garden.
Middle and Upper Harbour
Belvelly Castle Belvelly Norman tower house 14th or 15th century 51.888°N 8.302°W / 51.888; -8.302 In private ownership[8]
Martello towers (x5) Great Island (3), Haulbowline (1), Ringaskiddy (1) Martello towers 19th century Ringaskiddy:51.8284°N 8.3098°W / 51.8284; -8.3098
Haulbowline:51.8416°N 8.3074°W / 51.8416; -8.3074
Monning:51.8874°N 8.3202°W / 51.8874; -8.3202
Belvelly:51.8881°N 8.3047°W / 51.8881; -8.3047
Rossleague:51.8837°N 8.2764°W / 51.8837; -8.2764		 Towers at Ringaskiddy, Haulbowline, Belvelly, Rossleague and Marino Point. The latter, "Monning Tower", was briefly held by Captain Mackey during the 1867 Fenian Rising.[9] Haulbowline tower is now a museum store.[10] One is a residence.[11]
Blackrock Castle Blackrock Castle 17th century (original)
19th century (reconstruction)		 51.9°N 8.4029°W / 51.9; -8.4029 Though some of the 17th century structure remains, most features were built after a 19th century fire, and it now houses an observatory[12]
Dundanion Castle Blackrock Tudor tower house 16th century 51.8974°N 8.4204°W / 51.8974; -8.4204 Ruin on private land

Kinsale Harbour and approaches

From medieval times, the harbour and berths at Kinsale were of strategic importance, and its defences were tested during the Battle of Kinsale (1601) and Williamite War (1690). Though declining in importance (relative to those at Cork Harbour) in the 18th and 19th centuries, several structures were in use until they were burned during the Irish Civil War (1922).

Name Location Type Image Era Coordinates Notes
Charles Fort (New Fort) Kinsale (Summer Cove) Coastal star fort 16th century (early castle)
17th century (current fort)		 51.697°N 8.499°W / 51.697; -8.499 Though internals were burned-out during the Civil War, key structures are intact (or rebuilt) and operated by the OPW as a heritage tourism site[13]
James Fort (Old Fort) Kinsale (Castle Park) Pentagonal fort 16th and 17th century 51.699°N 8.510°W / 51.699; -8.510 Damaged during the Williamite War (1690) and later left to ruin. Open to public.[14]
Ringrone Castle River Bandon (Ringrone) Tower house 13th century 51.69°N 8.53°W / 51.69; -8.53 Built by the de Courcy family[15] (Barons of Kinsale). Now a complete ruin
Old Head Castle Old Head of Kinsale Tower house 13th century 51.618°N 8.542°W / 51.618; -8.542 Another de Courcy castle built in defence of the Kinsale coast. Only some walls remain[16] A nearby signal tower (1805) has since been restored.[17]

Bantry Bay and Berehaven Harbour

The deep-water berths at Bantry Bay and Berehaven Harbour were important from as early as the Nine Years' War and Siege of Dunboy in 1602, through the United Irishmen Rebellion and French Armada landings in the 1790s. The defences remained critical to support the Bantry Bay (anti-submarine) Naval Air Station during World War 1, and Berehaven "Treaty Port" was used by the Royal Navy fleet until it was relinquished in 1938 under the terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty.

Name Location Type Image Era Coordinates Notes
Dunboy Castle Beara Peninsula Castle 15th or 16th century 51.633°N 9.924°W / 51.633; -9.924 An O'Sullivan Bere castle built to defend Bantry Bay and Berehaven harbour. Ruined since the Siege of Dunboy (1602)
Martello towers Garnish Island, Whiddy Island, Bere Island Martello towers 19th century Garinish:51.736°N 9.542°W / 51.736; -9.542
Whiddy:51.682°N 9.519°W / 51.682; -9.519
Bere:51.634°N 9.849°W / 51.634; -9.849		 Built to defend the deep water berths of Bantry Bay, four towers were built on Bere Island (2 remain), with others on Whiddy and Garnish.[18]

Baltimore and Roaring Water Bay

The defences at Baltimore, Roaring Water Bay and surrounding islands were largely built by landed families from the 14th to 17th centuries. Some were relinquished (but later returned) after the Nine Years' War (1603) and involved in the Sack of Baltimore (1631).

Name Location Type Image Era Coordinates Notes
Dún na Séad Baltimore, County Cork Tower house 14th to 17th century 51.483°N 9.373°W / 51.483; -9.373 Built on an earlier Anglo-Norman structure, Dún na Séad castle (Fort of the Jewels) was an O'Driscoll stronghold
Dún na Long and Dún an Óir Castles Cléire and Sherkin Islands Tower houses 15th to 17th century Sherkin:51.477°N 9.402°W / 51.477; -9.402
Cléire:51°26.28′N 9°30.86′W		 Built by the O'Driscolls in the same period as the island's friary, Sherkin's Dún na Long (Fort of the Ships) and Cléire's Dún an Óir (Fort of Gold, pictured) were intended to defend the approaches to Baltimore and Roaring Water Bay

See also

References
  1. "Buildings of Ireland - Fort Davis". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  2. Defence Forces Annual Report (PDF) (Report). Irish Defence Forces. 2003. p. 21. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  3. "Hidden Ireland: Local spirit brings Fort Camden brought back to life". TheJournal.ie. 22 September 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  4. "Plan to unlock potential of 'Ireland's Alcatraz'". Irish Independent. 29 July 2009.
  5. "Spike Island opens to the public today and we look back at its darkest history". Irish Examiner. 4 June 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  6. "Templebreedy Fort Could Become a National Monument". CorkHarbour.ie. September 2008. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  7. "Cove Fort, Cobh, County Cork". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  8. "Three beautiful Irish castles with huge restoration potential". Irish Independent. 6 February 2015.
  9. "Notes and queries: The Martello towers of Cork harbour". Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society. Cork Historical and Archaeological Society: 200. 1907.
  10. "Haulbowline Island, County Cork". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  11. "Towering opportunity at Belvelly". Irish Examiner. 26 May 2007.
  12. "Blackrock Castle Observatory website". BCO.ie. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  13. "Heritage Ireland: Charles Fort". Office of Public Works. Archived from the original on 3 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  14. "Discover Ireland - Historic Houses and Castles - James Fort Kinsale". Fáilte Ireland (Irish Tourist Board). Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  15. "Ringrone Castle". Castles.nl. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  16. "Old Head Castle". Castles.nl. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  17. "Lusitania Museum / Old Head Signal Tower". Lusitania Museum/Old Head Signal Tower Heritage. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  18. "Buildings of Ireland - Building of the Month - Garnish Island (Tower)". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
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