Dunasead Castle facts for kids
Dunasead Castle is a cool old building in Baltimore, a town in western County Cork, Ireland. Its name in Irish is Dún na Séad, which means 'Fort of the Jewels'. People sometimes call it Baltimore Castle. It's a special kind of strong house from the 1600s.
This castle wasn't the first building on this spot! Before it, there was a Norman-era structure, and even before that, a very old Bronze Age ringfort. A ringfort was a circular area protected by a ditch and bank. Dunasead Castle is famously linked to the O'Driscoll family. In the late 1990s, the McCarthy family bought and fixed it up. Since 2005, parts of the castle have been open for people to visit.
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What is Dunasead Castle?
Dunasead Castle is a type of building called a 'fortified house'. This means it was built to be a home but also strong enough to defend against attacks. It's not as big or grand as some castles, but it was important for protecting the people who lived there.
A Look Back at Dunasead Castle's History
The castle you see today isn't the first one built here. The spot where Dunasead Castle stands has been important for a very long time!
Early Forts on the Site
Around the year 1215, a settler named FitzStephens built a tower house here. A tower house was a tall, strong stone building often used as a home and a fort. It also had a bawn, which was a protective wall around it. This tower house was built where an even older fort, probably a Bronze Age ringfort, once stood.
In 1305, a powerful Irish family called the MacCarthys attacked and burned down FitzStephens's castle. After that, another Irish family, the O'Driscolls, took over the area. Even though they were a smaller family, they were strong in the region. They rebuilt Dunasead.
Battles and Feuds
The O'Driscolls often faced challenges from other families and settlers who wanted their land or to control their trade. Because of this, Dunasead Castle was attacked and destroyed many times over the centuries.
One famous fight was between the O'Driscolls and the merchants from Waterford City. This started in 1368 when the O'Driscolls attacked the Waterford ships. This fight went on and off for almost 200 years! It finally ended in 1537 when a fleet of ships from Waterford attacked and destroyed Dunasead, Baltimore, and other O'Driscoll castles.
The Castle Through the Centuries
After being destroyed, the castle was rebuilt again. However, the O'Driscolls supported Hugh O'Neill in a big battle called the Battle of Kinsale. When O'Neill lost, the O'Driscolls had to give up Dunasead Castle to the English army.
Later, some O'Driscolls were forgiven, and Florence O'Driscoll got Dunasead back. But he had money problems, so he rented out the castle and most of his land. The castle you see now was probably built in the 1620s. In the 1640s, during a time of war, it was given over to Oliver Cromwell's forces.
Over time, the castle became a ruin. But between 1997 and 2005, it was carefully fixed up. Today, it is a private home.
What Does Dunasead Castle Look Like?
Dunasead Castle is built on a rocky ridge of sandstone right in the middle of Baltimore. It looks out over the harbour, which is the perfect spot for a fort!
The main part of the castle is a rectangular building with two floors and an attic space. It's surrounded by a bawn, which is a strong outer wall. The main building is built into the southwest part of this wall. It's about 6 meters (20 feet) wide and 18 meters (59 feet) long.
This castle isn't as heavily defended as some older tower houses. On the ground floor, the windows are very narrow slits, making it hard for attackers to get in. There's also a small, round turret called a bartizan on one corner, which was used for watching out for enemies.
Images for kids
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Dunasead Castle
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Dunasead is built on a sandstone ridge
