Carrigaphooca Castle, Tower castle near Macroom, Ireland
Carrigaphooca Castle is a rectangular stone tower that rises five stories high on a steep rock formation, overlooking the Sullane River Valley. The structure has thick walls and features narrow openings typical of medieval defensive construction.
The MacCarthy clan constructed this defensive structure between 1436 and 1451 as part of efforts to reassert control over their territories in the region. The tower was built during a period of intense competition between rival Irish families.
The name comes from Irish words meaning 'castle on the rock of the fairy', reflecting folklore about supernatural beings connected to this place. These stories remain part of how local people understand and speak about the location.
The castle stands about 6 kilometers west of Macroom but remains inaccessible to visitors as it sits on private property. You can view it from a distance, but access to the site itself is not permitted.
The fortress features a stone staircase that begins straight at ground level, then transforms into a spiral as it rises toward the fourth floor. This unusual construction shows how builders solved space and circulation challenges within the narrow tower.
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