Site of Phale Castle, Phale Upper, Co. Cork
In the pastures of Phale Upper, County Cork, the remnants of a once formidable MacCarthy castle have all but vanished from the landscape.
Site of Phale Castle, Phale Upper, Co. Cork
This square structure, which appeared on the 1842 Ordnance Survey map, occupied a strategic position on a south-facing slope with a sharp drop to a stream on its eastern side. The castle met its demise in the early 19th century when it was deliberately dismantled, leaving no visible traces on the ground today.
The site carries a rather grim historical significance, sitting adjacent to both a gallows tree and a graveyard; a spatial arrangement that speaks to the castle’s role as a centre of local authority and justice. While the castle itself has disappeared, architectural fragments may have found new life elsewhere. A pair of ogee-headed windows, now built into a wall at nearby Phale Court, are thought to have been salvaged from the demolished fortress, offering a tangible connection to the medieval structure.
According to local historian O Murchadha, writing in 1985, the castle’s demolition was a deliberate act rather than natural decay. This systematic dismantling was common practice in the 19th century, when old fortifications were often seen as convenient quarries for building stone. The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork notes the site’s historical importance, though visitors today will find only an empty field where the MacCarthy stronghold once commanded the surrounding countryside.