The site was documented by Smith in 1815, who described it as the seat of Robert Gookin, noting that “Court Mac Sherry” was “encompassed with walls and turrets”. This defensive structure would have been typical of the period when English settlers and local Irish families vied for control of strategic locations along Cork’s coastline.

Robert Gookin’s association with the site places it within the context of the Plantation era, when English and Scottish settlers established themselves across Munster in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The Gookin family were prominent landowners in Cork, with Robert’s relative Vincent Gookin later becoming a notable figure in Cromwellian Ireland. The fortified nature of the residence, complete with its encircling walls and turrets, speaks to the uncertain times in which these settlers lived; such defences were essential for protection against both organised raids and opportunistic attacks.

Today, no visible trace of the structure remains above ground, leaving only historical records and archaeological surveys to tell its story. The transformation of the site into hotel grounds represents a common fate for many of Ireland’s lesser fortified houses, which were either demolished, incorporated into later buildings, or simply left to decay once their defensive purpose became obsolete. The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork notes the site’s significance, ensuring that even though the physical structure has vanished, its place in the historical landscape of West Cork is preserved.