Kilcrea Castle

Kilcrea Castle is a five-story stone tower standing near the River Bride, featuring a corner turret on its southeast side and a defensive wall enclosure on the friary side. The building displays typical medieval Irish defensive features including small openings for archery, internal staircases, and separate chambers for different household functions.

Cormac Laidir MacCarthy, the 9th Lord of Muskerry, built this fortified residence in 1465 on a site that had been occupied since prehistoric times. The location's long history as a defensive position made it an ideal choice for this important family stronghold.

The structure reveals how a medieval Irish lord's family organized their household, with different floors reserved for the nobility and servants, and defensive features integrated into daily spaces. The layout shows the careful separation of private chambers, administrative areas, and guard positions within the same building.

The site remains a working farm, so visitors need permission to explore and must cross private farmland to reach the tower. Weather and farm operations can affect access, so it's helpful to check conditions in advance before making the trip.

A railway cutting from the 1800s slices through the castle's moat on the northern side, creating an unexpected overlap of medieval and industrial history. This visible layer of railway engineering reveals how 19th century development intersected with the older fortification.

GPS coordinates: 51.86500,-8.71800

Latest update: December 8, 2025 21:03