Though nothing visible survives above ground today, this site holds centuries of Irish history beneath its grassy surface. The location appears on the 1842 Ordnance Survey six-inch map as a dotted circular area, marking where the castle and its protective bawn once stood.

The MacCarthy Reagh dynasty, one of the most powerful Gaelic families in Munster, built numerous fortifications throughout Cork during their reign. This particular castle would have served as both a defensive stronghold and a symbol of their authority in the region. When antiquarian John O’Donovan visited in 1876, he could still make out traces of the bawn’s foundations; a rectangular fortified enclosure that would have protected the castle and its inhabitants from raiders and rival clans.

Today, visitors to this spot will find only an unremarkable field, but beneath the soil lie the remnants of medieval Ireland. The castle’s complete disappearance above ground speaks to the passage of time and perhaps the thoroughness with which many Irish castles were dismantled following various conflicts and changing land ownership. Local historical records, including Coleman’s 1922 writings, confirm this was indeed a MacCarthy Reagh stronghold, adding another piece to the complex puzzle of medieval Cork’s political landscape.