Castle - tower house

The National Monuments Service's description

On N-facing slope overlooking Tourig river; Kilnatoora Castle (CO067-006---) visible c. 800m to SE. Steep-sided earthen mound (H on N side c. 7m; H on S side c. 3m), with flat top (diam. c. 15m), built around rock outcrop, approached by earthen causeway (L c. 18m; Wth c. 4m) from S; atop mound fragmentary remains of rectangular tower (c. 13.5m N-S; c. 10m E-W). Tower much defaced but stands to 3 storeys. Entered at ground level by door at N end of W wall, now blocked by concrete wall. Ground floor chamber (8.6m N-S; 5m E-W) lit by windows in N, S and E walls, all heavily defaced. Ground level lowered c. 0.45m leaving plinth (Wth c. 0.3m) along base of surviving inside wall face. Straight mural stair in W wall rises from ground floor door to 2nd floor level at S end, also giving access to 1st floor via door cut through vault; corbels for wooden floor above ground floor level. First floor has almost completely defaced L-shaped mural chamber in NW corner, lit by lintelled window with ogee-headed light in N wall. Main 1st floor chamber lit by window in S wall; square-set embrasure with flat-headed light. First floor covered by rounded, wicker-centred vault (axis N-S); NW end collapsed. Access to 2nd floor not gained but central window ope in W wall visible; S wall does not survive at this level. Opening for garderobe chute near S end of external E wall, c. 3m above ground level. Apparently a Geraldine castle later repaired and fortified by the Earl of Cork (Coleman 1910c, 182), of which little else is known.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009