Dunasead Castle

Dunasead Castle, also known as Dún a Séad, Dunashad or Baltimore Castle, lies in the town of Baltimore in Cork, in County Cork in Ireland.

The site of Dunasead Castle, a rocky cliff above Baltimore Harbor, has been fortified since a very long time. The first fortification was maybe a ringfort. After that, an Anglo-Norman castle was built here in 1215. In 1305 that castle was taken and destroyed by the MacCarthys. Subsequently the O'Driscolls took possession of the site and built a castle.

The O'Driscolls were constantly under pressure from encroachments by Anglo-Norman settlers and rival Gaelic clans on their territory and trade interests, which resulted in the castle being attacked and destroyed numerous times in the following centuries.

The present Dunasead Castle was built in the 1620's by the O'Driscolls. In 1631 the castle narrowly escaped an attack by a band of pirates from Algiers, who landed in Baltimore and took 107 captives to a life of slavery in North Africa.

In the 1640s it was surrendered to Oliver Cromwell's forces and passed to the Coppingers. In 1642 the O'Driscolls fruitlessly attempted to recover the castle by force. In the 1690s the Coppingers were forfeited. After the 17th century the castle fell to ruin.

Between 1997 and 2005 the ruined castle was rebuilt, at first as a private residence. At present it is a small museum.

Dunasead Castle can be visited for a small fee. A nice and curious castle.

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