thumb|Remains of Dunboy castle

thumb|View inland from Dunboy castle

thumb|Plaque on castle wall. Translation from Irish: 'In memory of the heroes who fell in Dunboy on behalf of country and faith in June 1602. May their souls rest in peace.'

Dunboy Castle () is a ruined 15th-century castle on the Beara Peninsula in south-west Ireland near the town of Castletownbere. The castle's tower house and bawn were destroyed in the 1602 Siege of Dunboy, though its ruins remain open to the public.

A later manor house, historically known as Puxley Mansion but sometimes also referred to as Dunboy Castle, was built close to the castle ruins during the 19th century.

History

Originally a stronghold of the O'Sullivan Bere clan, Dunboy Castle was built in the 15th century to guard and defend the harbour of Berehaven. and Elizabeth I had sent a 5000-strong army under the command of Sir George Carew to suppress the insurgents. Even with its small garrison of 143 men, Dunboy Castle was thought to be impregnable but following a fierce artillery bombardment the walls were smashed and after some desperate hand-to-hand fighting amid the rubble the defenders were finally overcome. The 58 survivors of the two-week siege were executed in the nearby market square.

The remains of the castle were left to ruin, until the mid-17th century when a bastion fort was built on the site. Both the 15th-century castle and 17th-century fort were surveyed by arachnologist Edward M. Fahy in the late 1960s. Also sometimes known as Dunboy Castle, the refurbished manor house was reportedly sold in March 2022.

See also

  • List of castles in Ireland
  • List of coastal fortifications of County Cork

References

  • Beara Tourism website - Castles