Rockfleet Castle facts for kids
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Rockfleet Castle, also called Carrickahowley Castle, is a cool old building in County Mayo, Ireland. Its name in Irish is Carraig an Chabhlaigh, which means "rock of the fleet". This castle is a type of strong building called a tower house. It was built a long time ago, in the middle of the 1500s.
Rockfleet Castle is most famous for its connection to Grace O'Malley. She was known as the 'pirate queen' and was a powerful leader, or chieftain, of the O’Malley family. Some people even think she might have died at this very castle.
What is Rockfleet Castle Like?
Rockfleet Castle is a tall building, standing over eighteen meters high. That's like a six-story building! It has four floors inside. From the castle, you can see out over Clew Bay, with its many small, rounded hills called drumlins.
Visiting the Castle
Even though people used to be able to go inside Rockfleet Castle, it's now closed to visitors. This is for safety reasons, to make sure no one gets hurt.
In 2015, a metal walkway was added to the castle. This made it easier to reach the entrance. Before that, it was hard to get to the door when the tide was high. Later, in 2017, the outside walls of the castle were repaired. This work, called repointing, helps keep the old stone strong and safe.
