Ballycarbery Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ballycarbery Castle |
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| Kerry Near Cahersiveen in Ireland |
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 Ballycarbery Castle
Location in Ireland
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| Coordinates | 51°56′55.9″N 10°15′31.16″W / 51.948861°N 10.2586556°W |
| Type | Castle |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public |
No |
| Condition | Ruined |
| Site history | |
| Built | 16th Century |
| In use | 1398-20th Century |
| Fate | Fell to ruin |
| Battles/wars | War of the Three Kingdoms |
Ballycarbery Castle is an old castle in County Kerry, Ireland. It is about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the town of Cahersiveen. This castle sits high on a grassy hill, looking out towards the sea. It is also close to two ancient forts, Cahergall Fort and Leacanabuile Fort.
Contents
A Look Back: Ballycarbery Castle's Story
Ballycarbery Castle has a long and interesting past. People lived on this spot as early as 1398. However, the castle you see today was built in the 1500s. Some records from that time say it was a castle belonging to the powerful McCarthy Mor family. We do not know if the McCarthy Mors lived there themselves or if their guardians, the O'Connells, did.
Later, the castle was given to Sir Valentine Browne. This happened after its owner, Donal McCarthy More, passed away. In 1652, the castle was attacked. Forces from the English Parliament used cannons to fire at it during a big conflict called the War of the Three Kingdoms.
In the 1700s, a house was built on the castle site. It used part of the old castle wall. The Lauder family lived in this house. This house was later taken down in the early 1900s.
Exploring the Castle's Structure
The castle was once surrounded by a very tall wall. Less than half of this wall is still standing today. You can see narrow openings called arrow slits along the bottom of the remaining wall. These were used by defenders to shoot arrows at attackers. There is also a staircase inside one part of the wall, but it is hard to reach.
Inside the Castle Walls
The ground floor of the castle had several rooms. Only one of these rooms still has its roof and walls. This room is quite large and has a high ceiling. In one corner, there is a staircase that leads to the floor above.
There are actually two different staircases that go up to the first floor. Also, you can walk up the back of the castle because its entire back wall is now missing. One of the staircases is high up inside the ground floor room and is in good condition. The other staircase starts outside the room and is a bit damaged.
The Upper Floors
The first floor of the castle is now covered in grass. It has some windows and a few small rooms. Most of this floor is open to the sky. The first floor is the highest part of the castle you can reach. The steps that would have led to the second floor are gone. They were likely attached to the back wall that is now missing.
Visiting Ballycarbery Castle Today
Until about 2017, people could walk around the castle grounds. They could even climb on the castle ruins. However, the castle is on private land. The owner of the land has now stopped public access to the castle itself. Because of this, visitors can only look at the beautiful castle from a small parking lot. This parking lot is about 200 meters (650 feet) from the front of the castle.
