Monteen Castle, Monteen, Co. Cork
Standing on elevated ground 200 metres northeast of a ford crossing the Owenkeagh River, Monteen Castle is a compact ivy-covered tower that once served as a stronghold for the Tuath Mointin sept of the MacCarthy Riabhach clan.
Monteen Castle, Monteen, Co. Cork
The tower measures six metres east to west and 5.6 metres north to south, rising to three storeys today, though evidence suggests it originally stood taller. Its defensive position, whilst commanding views of the river crossing below, is somewhat compromised by higher ground to the north that overlooks the structure.
The castle’s interior reveals sophisticated medieval engineering, with segmental vaults spanning different floors in varying orientations. The ground floor features a vault running north to south that stops 0.6 metres short of the north wall, whilst the second floor contains a rounded vault oriented east to west that doesn’t quite reach the eastern wall; this gap is ingeniously bridged by overlapping stone slabs. Access between levels was provided through doors in the south wall at both the first and second floor levels, with the first floor also featuring an east-facing window that was later modified to accommodate a wooden frame, suggesting continued occupation or adaptation over the centuries.
The castle’s turbulent history came to a violent chapter in 1600 when Crown forces burnt it during the Tudor conquest of Ireland. Despite this destruction, the tower endured, and by the 18th or 19th century, a house had been constructed immediately to its east, the ruins of which remain visible today. These later additions speak to the site’s continued importance as a dwelling long after its military significance had waned, creating a layered historical landscape that spans from medieval clan warfare to more recent domestic use.