Though no visible surface traces remain today, this site holds centuries of Irish history within its story. The castle originally belonged to the Clan Dermod McCarthy, one of the prominent Gaelic families who controlled much of Cork during the medieval period.

The fortunes of the castle changed dramatically in 1616 when it was granted to the Coppinger family, marking a significant shift in local power dynamics during the early 17th century. This transfer occurred during the plantation period in Ireland, when many traditional Irish landholdings were redistributed to new owners, often English settlers or those loyal to the Crown. The Coppingers, who were merchants and landowners of English origin, had established themselves in Cork by this time and would go on to become one of the county’s most influential families.

Despite the castle’s physical disappearance from the landscape, its memory persists in local tradition. The present landowner still refers to the site by its Coppinger association, demonstrating how place names can preserve history long after the structures themselves have vanished. This continuity of memory, passed down through generations of farmers and residents, ensures that even a bare rock outcrop in a Cork farmyard remains connected to the broader tapestry of Irish history, from Gaelic lordships through English colonisation to the present day.