Inchincurka Wedge Tomb

The superb looking wedge tomb of Inchincurka is one of the lesser known wedge tombs to be found in County Cork.

This small but compact tomb is a wonderful example of a Wedge Tomb.

The tomb is aligned East - West and is about 4 meters in length.
The height of the tomb is 1.5 meters and is close to 2 meters in width.  

The gallery of the tomb is very overgrown so difficult to see any detail.

Access - The site can be seen from the R585 and is best entered via a lane way to the left of the tomb.
I visited this tomb in early summer 2018 and as can be seen from the images it is somewhat overgrown. However I have seen many older images with it in a far worse condition.

Kinneigh Round Tower

One of only two round towers to be found in County Cork is Kinneigh Round Tower.

The round tower is built on a large rocky outcrop, and has a unique 5 meter high hexagonal base.

The tower rises to a height of 20 meters and is round from the hexagonal section up.

The doorway is about 4 meters above the ground and faces North East.

Kinneigh Round Tower is estimated to have been built sometime between 900 and 1050.

To facilitate a bell an upper section was added in the mid 19th century.

The original  monastery in the area is said to have been founded by St Mocholmog in the year 619.

The site of the monastery was located 0.8 km to the West of the tower.

Access - The tower is located on the grounds of St Bartholomew's Church Of Ireland, in Kinneigh.

Parking can be found beside the graveyard.  This leaves you a short walk to the very striking tower.

Ballyvackey Stone Circle

Ballyvackey Stone Circle is located in a plain low flat open pasture.

There are just seven stones left here from a probable original nine stones, although some believe there may have been as many as thirteen stones in the circle.

The remaining circles stones vary in height from 0.6m to 1.6 meter.

The circle is aligned ENE-WSW and the diameter of the circle 8.5 meters.   

There are much bigger and more famous sites located close by.
Despite being overgrown (I tried my best to stamp the growth down around the stones) don't be put off seeking this site as it will be well worth you time.
The circle even with the missing stones and somewhat plain location still has a nice presence about it.

Access - The site can be spotted from the main road. (R599)
It will be possible to park close to the circle (once one is careful).
Good footwear will be needed as the area close to the circle is quite marshy. 

Carrigaphooca Castle

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.


 

Cunard Portal Tomb

Cunard Portal Tomb is one of Dublin's lesser know tombs - this is probably due to the fact that the site does not appear on the current OSI maps.

The small but compact tomb is 1.6 metres in height.  
The portal stones are missing and just three chamber wall stones remain.
The capstone is 2.2 metres and diamond shaped. 

The setting for this site is nothing short of stunning and although it is close to the road getting up close is not so easy.

For visiting you will have two main problems:-
1. You can't see the tomb from the road (trust my map it will bring you close enough to see it-click on the location tab).
2. The terrain, even after a dry spell and on a very hot day was still saturated in parts (also do not wear shorts as the mountain is covered in low gorse).

Access - The road is very narrow so it is important to park carefully. As I have already mentioned, click on the location tab underneath the images and you will find it.

Grangefertagh Round Tower

Grangefertagh Round Tower is the only remnant of an early monastery founded by St Ciaran of Seir. The original site is thought to date back to the 6th Century.

The site was raided by Vikings in 861 and in 1156 the High King Murtagh McNeale burned the tower.

The tower is 31 meters in height and that is with only a small part of the towers cap remaining.
The diameter of the tower is 4.8 meters.
Their are nine windows in total, six of which are angle headed & the remaining three are lintelled.

The doorway is 3.3 meters from ground level and as you can see in image 3 has had all of it's stone work removed.
This is said to have occurred when a farmer took the stones to help in the building of a fireplace!

The church is dated 13th Century and has had it's main section turned into a handball alley.

In one small section of the church is the tomb of Brian MacGiolla Phadraigh Lord of Ossory.

Access - The tower is very visible from the M8.
Parking can be found in a couple of spots close to the site. 

   
 

Poulnabrone Portal Tomb

The world famous Burren County Clare has many fantastic sites but none more so than the stunning Poulnabrone Portal Tomb.

This tomb could probably lay claim to being the most photographed megalithic in Ireland.
The early morning of my visit (which was quite dull) saw two small buses and a couple of cars in the big spacious car park beside the site.

The tomb is perfectly set on a low circular mound of loose stones with the entrance to the tomb facing north.

The large thin capstone is close to 3.6 meters in length and 2.1 meters in width.
The portal stones are in and around 1.8 meters high.

Poulnabrone was excavated in 1986 and again in 1988.
The remains of 22 individuals which included adults children and infants were discovered.
The remains and other artifacts discovered allowed the tomb to be dated to approximately 3600 BC.

Access - The site is well signposted and has a large car park just off the R480.  














 

Ballybrit Castle

This is without doubt the most timely post I've ever done.

Starting this evening is the world famous Galway races.

Ballybrit Castle is located inside the racing circuit at Galway racecourse.

Not much is publicly known about the ruin.
What is know is that the castle is a de Burgo house.
Rectangular in shape the walls are said to be 1.5 meters in thickness.
The ruin rises to a height of 13.7 meters and is said to have a spiral like staircase inside.
Looking at the castle you are left in no doubt that this was a castle built to defend.

Access - As stated above the castle is on the grounds of Galway racecourse.
My visit was a working one over two separate days. 
 

Reanascreena Stone Circle

The superb stone circle of Reanascreena had been on my wish list of sites to visit ever since seeing images of the circle on the great Megalithic Ireland web site.

The Circle has twelve stones which are all over one meter in height.
The two portal stones (image 2 on the right) are slightly higher than the circles other stones.
The circle is aligned ENE-WSW and the circle has a diameter of just over 9 meters.

A feature I did not see on the day of my visit was the quartz stone in the middle of the circle. 

The circle has fencing quite close to the stones (which makes getting close ups of the stones impossible) this may be to protect the stones as Horses are sometimes kept in the sites field.

Reanascreena is truly a special site.
My visit was a bit rushed due to work but I would hope to make a return visit sometime in the future.

The site was excavated from 1959-69 by Fahy.

Access - The circle is not visible from the road.
I spoke to a farmer who gave me the directions.
Enter the first field via the gate to the right of the bungalow, walk up the field to the top of the hill and the circle is in the next field on your left.   

Bruree Castle (aka Ballynoe)

The ivy covered ruin of Bruree Castle can be found in the beautifully kept Ballynoe graveyard.

The ruin according to a badly damaged plaque at the entrance to the graveyard states the castle is also know as Ballynoe Castle.  

The castle would also appear to be referred to occasionally as the higher castle as it is built on high ground overlooking the village of Bruree - with the Maigue River flowing just below it and there are some other castle's situated close by on lower ground once owned by the De Lacy's.

Bruree castle is dated to the 14th Century (the claim that the Knights Templars built this castle in the 12th century is unsupported).

Cromwell's troops took the castle in the 15th Century and apart from that not much else is known about the history of the castle.
Indeed if you put Ballynoe Castle into a search engine you will find out about a champion show jumping horse with an unusual condition.     

Today the ruin has fencing protecting the open lower part of the castle (image 5) which prevents the ruin from being further explored.

Access - The castle is very visible as you enter Bruree.  
Parking can be found in the lane way that brings you up the graveyard. 
 



 

Knocknaneirk SW Stone Circle

When you arrive at Knocknaneirk SW Stone Circle, the site looks to have a real wow factor about it.
Sadly as get closer you will see the circle is missing a number of stones on the south side.  

From the stones that remain it looks like the circle would have had a diameter close to 15 meters.

The stones that survive vary between 1.3 meters and 1.5 meters in height.

The area this circle is located in has many other sites close by, but this circle is still worth seeking out as the remaining stones have a nice character about them.

Access - The circle can be seen from the road.
Parking can be found beside the wooden gate which leads into the site.

In other images I have seen of this site it would appear that cattle are sometimes kept here.