Drishane Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Drishane Castle |
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| Native name Irish: Caisleán an Driseáin |
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| Type | Tower house |
| Location | Drishane More, Millstreet, County Cork, Ireland |
| Height | 22 m (72 ft) |
| Built | c. 1436–50 |
| Owner | Duggan family |
| Official name: Drishane Castle | |
| Reference no. | 296 |
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Drishane Castle is an old stone building called a tower house. It was built by the MacCarthy family. Today, it is a special place called a National Monument in County Cork, Ireland.
The name Drishane Castle is also used for a house built next to it. This house is much newer, from the 1700s. The castle is about 2.2 km (1.4 mi) northeast of Millstreet. It sits on the south bank of the Munster Blackwater river.
Contents
History of Drishane Castle
Building the Tower House
The MacCarthy family, also known as Mac Cárthaigh, built Drishane Castle. They started building it around 1436 and finished by 1450. It was likely started by Dermot Mór. He was the second son of Tadhg, who was a king in the area.
MacCarthy Family Owners
In 1592, Tadhg, son of Owen, owned Drishane Castle. He gave it to Queen Elizabeth I of England. Then, she gave it back to him. This was a common way for Irish lords to keep their lands. Tadhg's son, Owen, still owned the castle when he died in 1637.
Changes in Ownership
The MacCarthy family lost their lands after the Irish Confederate Wars (1641–53). But in 1660, Charles II became king again. He gave the lands back to Donough MacCarty.
Later, the MacCarthys lost their lands again. This happened after the Williamite War (1689–91). The land was sold to a company called the Hollow Sword Blade Company. They sold it to Henry Wallis in 1709. The Wallis family fully owned the castle by 1728.
The Wallis Family and Later Uses
The Wallis family built the house next to the tower house around 1730. During a time of trouble in 1867, soldiers were stationed at Drishane Castle. The Wallis family owned it until 1882. After them, Patrick Stack owned it.
In 1909, Drishane Castle became a convent. It was run by the Sisters of the Infant Jesus. They had a boarding school for girls there until 1992. Later, the Duggan family bought the castle. It became a place for people seeking safety and a new home.
About the Tower House
The tower house at Drishane is 22 m (72 ft) tall. It is made of strong stone. It has four floors. The windows are very narrow, like arrowslits, which were for shooting arrows. The roof has special decorations called "Irish" crenellations. There is also a small round tower next to the main castle building.
