Dundanion Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dundanion Castle |
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| Native name Irish: Dún Daingean |
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19th century engraving of Dundanion Castle
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| Area | Blackrock, Cork, Ireland |
| Built | c.1564 |
| Built for | Galwey family |
| Architectural style(s) | Fortified limestone tower house |
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Dundanion Castle (called Dún Daingean in Irish, which means 'firm fortress') is an old castle from the Tudor period (a time in history between 1485 and 1603). It's a type of strong building known as a tower house. You can find it in the Blackrock area of Cork, Ireland. This castle was once known as Galwey's Castle. Today, it's a ruin located on the private land of a much newer building called "Dundanion House".
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Discovering Dundanion Castle's Past
Even though there might have been an older building here, the castle we see today was built around 1564. The Galwey family built it. On an old map of Cork from the late 1500s, called the Pacata Hibernia map, the castle is marked as "Galwaies castle".
How the Castle's Location Changed
The castle is now quite a distance from the water's edge of the River Lee. This is because land was later added to the area. However, there's a nearby slipway (a sloping path for boats) that shows it was once used for water travel. Some stories say that William Penn left from this castle on one of his trips to the Americas. He later founded Pennsylvania in the 1680s.
Who Owned the Castle?
Over time, the castle was owned by several different families before it became a ruin. Many large, fancy houses were built on the castle's land. Then, in the 1830s, a famous architect named Sir Thomas Deane built "Dundanion House". Diaries from the Deane family mention that during the building of Dundanion House, stonemasons worked to make Dundanion Castle look like a "picturesque ruin". This means they made it look old and charming on purpose.
Visiting Dundanion Castle Today
You can partly see the castle ruin from the public walkway of the old Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway. However, the castle is on the private grounds of Dundanion House, so you cannot visit it. The Cork City Council lists the castle as a protected structure (PS492). It is also part of Ireland's national Record of Monuments and Places (CO 074-049), which helps protect important historical sites.
