Barryscourt Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Barryscourt Castle |
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| Native name Caisleán Chúirt an Bharraigh | |
Barryscourt Castle Entrance
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| Location | Carrigtwohill, County Cork, Ireland |
| Built | 15th Century |
| Architectural style(s) | Gothic |
| Governing body | Office of Public Works |
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| Official name | Barryscourt Castle |
| Reference no. | 641 |
Barryscourt Castle is a cool old castle in County Cork, Ireland. Its Irish name is Caisleán Chúirt an Bharraigh. You can find it near the town of Carrigtwohill. This amazing castle has a long and exciting history!
Contents
Discovering Barryscourt Castle's Past
People have lived on the land where Barryscourt Castle stands for over a thousand years! Long ago, around the 600s, there was a wooden watermill here. It was built next to a stream. Later, in the 1100s, the powerful Anglo-Norman de Barry family took over. They might have built an early fort or another watermill.
The de Barry family owned lots of land in County Cork. Barryscourt stayed with the most powerful part of the family, called the Barrymores. Their name Barra mór means "Great Barry" in Irish. The Barrymore family line ended, so Barryscourt went to a distant cousin. This was James FitzRichard in 1556. The main tower house you see today was probably built around 1550. It became the main home for the Barry family.
Battles and Rebuilding at Barryscourt
The Barry family supported some big rebellions in 1569 and 1579. In 1581, they damaged their own castles. This was to stop English forces from capturing them. Barryscourt was one of these castles. It was threatened by an army led by Sir Walter Raleigh. After the second rebellion ended, Queen Elizabeth I pardoned the Barrys. Barryscourt Castle was then repaired. They added an outer wall, called a "bawn". This wall surrounded an inner courtyard. It also had three corner towers. An English judge named Luke Gernon visited in 1620. He wrote a detailed description of the castle.
Barryscourt stopped being the main home for the Barry family in 1617. But it was still an important fort for many years. In 1645, during the Irish Confederate War, it was attacked. You can still see the marks from cannonballs on the castle walls!
Barryscourt Castle Today
Over time, Barryscourt Castle was not used anymore. In the early 1700s, a new house was built next to it. This house is now gone. In 1987, the Barryscourt Trust was created. Their goal was to protect the castle. They also wanted to make it a great place to visit. In the 1990s, the main tower was repaired and given a new roof. Now, the Office of Public Works runs it as a popular tourist site. The inside of the castle looks just like it did in the 1500s. You can take free guided tours every day!
Exploring Barryscourt Castle's Design
Barryscourt Castle was built in a common style for Ireland in the 1500s. It has a main tower house. Smaller buildings are arranged around a courtyard. An outer "bawn" or curtain wall protected this area. This wall had three smaller corner towers. There was once a large building inside the bawn. It was probably a dining hall, but only ruins remain.
The main tower is at the southwest corner of the rectangular wall. The main entrance to the courtyard is right next to it. There is also a smaller gate on the north side. The castle even has a "drop-prisoner-in-from-the-top" dungeon! Three smaller turrets stick out from the main tower. These turrets are five storeys high. The main part of the tower is three storeys high.
See also
