Though you won’t find any stones or ruins there today, this unremarkable stretch of grass was once home to a castle belonging to the O’Driscolls, one of the most powerful maritime clans in medieval Munster. The fortress met its end in 1537 when it came under attack, likely during the period when English forces were systematically dismantling the O’Driscoll strongholds that controlled the profitable fishing and trading routes along the southwest coast.

The O’Driscolls ruled these waters for centuries, their castles dotting the coastline and islands of West Cork. Spanish Island itself takes its name from the Spanish fishing fleets that frequented these waters, drawn by the rich fishing grounds and the O’Driscolls’ control of the pilchard trade. The clan’s strategic position allowed them to levy taxes on foreign vessels and maintain their independence longer than many other Irish families. Their castle on Spanish Island would have commanded views across the approaches to Baltimore and Roaringwater Bay, serving as both a defensive position and a symbol of their naval supremacy.

Today, visitors to the plateau will find only the wind and grass, with perhaps a few sheep maintaining the rough grazing that has likely existed here since the castle fell. The complete absence of any structural remains suggests the building was either thoroughly demolished or its stones were carried off for use elsewhere; a common fate for abandoned castles whose dressed stone was valuable for local construction projects. Archaeological surveys have confirmed what the eye can see: whatever stood here in 1537 has vanished entirely, leaving only historical records and local memory to mark where the O’Driscolls once kept watch over their domain.