Carrigrohane Castle facts for kids

Gabriel Beranger's drawing of Carrigrohane Castle when it was mostly a ruin. It was fixed up later!

Carrigrohane Castle is an old castle found in the village of Carrigrohane in County Cork, Ireland. It sits high up on a rocky cliff, looking over the beautiful River Lee.

What is Carrigrohane Castle?

Carrigrohane Castle is a historic building that has stood for many years. It's located in a scenic spot, making it a cool place to learn about the past.

The Castle's Story

The castle was first built by the powerful MacCarthy family. They were an important family in Ireland long ago.

In 1641, during a time of war in Ireland, the castle became very damaged and run-down. But it was fixed up later! For a while, it even became the home of a famous outlaw named Captain Cape and his group. They were known for stopping travelers and taking things from the nearby countryside.

By the late 1700s, the castle was mostly a ruin again. People described it as having two main parts, one older and bigger than the other. It was fixed up once more in the mid-1800s, supposedly by architects Thomas Newenham Deane and Benjamin Woodward. More work was done on the castle in the 1900s, and it has been used as a family home since the late 20th century.

Exploring the Area Around the Castle

There's a cave at the bottom of the cliff where the castle stands. Local people believe this cave connects to the Ovens caverns, which are about 4 miles away!

There's also a deep, dark pool nearby called Hell's-Hole. It's surrounded by tall limestone cliffs and is located at a bend in the river above the castle. Some local stories say that a strange creature, like a giant eel with a horse's mane, lives there! It's a fun local legend that adds to the mystery of the area.

Images for kids

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  Carrigrohane Castle in 2016