The 1837 Ordnance Survey 6-inch map marks the site as ‘Corballis castle, in ruins’, suggesting that even by the early Victorian period, the structure was already in considerable decay. Today, not a single stone remains visible; the castle lies buried beneath the airport’s buildings and infrastructure, its exact location known only through historical records and old maps.

The castle would have been part of the network of fortifications that dotted the Dublin region during the medieval period, likely serving as a defensive position and administrative centre for the surrounding lands of Corballis. Like many Irish castles, it probably witnessed centuries of conflict, changing hands between Anglo-Norman lords and Irish chieftains, before eventually falling into disrepair as its military importance waned.

The complete obliteration of Corballis Castle serves as a striking example of how Ireland’s rapid modernisation in the 20th century sometimes came at the cost of its medieval heritage. While some castle ruins have been preserved or incorporated into the modern landscape, Corballis met a different fate entirely, swallowed up by one of the country’s busiest transport hubs. Travellers passing through Dublin Airport today walk unknowingly above the foundations of this lost fortress, its stones and stories sealed beneath concrete and tarmac.