Carrigaphooca Castle is a ruined five storey rectangular tower house situated on a steep rocky outcrop overlooking the Sullane River near Macroom in Co Cork.
The building is basic, one with a single room on each of it's five levels.
There are no fireplaces or chimneys.
The visually striking ruin (from the outside) is dated sometime between 1436 and 1451.
The castle was built by Dermot Mor McCarthy brother of Cormac Láidir who built Blarney Castle.
The MacCarthys of Carrigaphooca sided with the Crown in 1602 and their stronghold was as a result attacked by Donal Cam O'Sullivan Beare.
After a long and difficult siege the huge wooden door of the castle was burned down.
O'Sullivan Beare was said to have taken back a chest of Spanish gold he had presented to the MacCarthys some months earlier for their support against the English.
The castle was latterly owned by the MacCarthys of Drishane until it was forfeited in 1690.
Restoration work was carried out on the castle in 1970 by the OPW who installed an inner staircase.
Access - The castle is on farm land and can have cattle grazing at times, so please seek permission from the farm between the main road (N22) and the castle.
Carrigaphooca Castle is claimed to be one of the most haunted castles in Ireland.