carrigafoyle castle

Carrigafoyle has had a stormy history and although wrecked by a series of bloody sieges, remains a remarkable castle. Cleverly located between the high and low water marks on the shore of the Shannon Estuary, it comprises a large tower built towards the end of the 15th century by the O'Connors of Kerry. The tower was protected on the landward side by two square bawns, an inner one with rounded turrets and an outer with square towers at the corners. These bawns extended into the water and enclosed a small dock, so that boats could sail right up to the castle - a rather useful if not unique feature.