Cloghleagh Castle

Cloghleagh Castle, sometimes also called Condon Castle, lies south of the village of Kilworth, in County Cork, in Ireland.

Cloghleagh (meaning gray stone) was built by the Condon family. They were an Anglo-Norman family who arrived in Ireland in the 12th century and were originally called De Caunteton. I could not find out when they built it, but it has the round cornered design the Condons seemed to have favored. It was built on a limestone outcrop above the Funshion river, and originally the high rectangular keep would have been circled by a bawn. Legend has it that there was an underground passage from the castle down to the river.

In the 1580s, the castle was granted to the Fleetwoods, after the Condons had taken the side of the Earl of Desmond against the English Elizabethan forces in the Munster Rebellion and lost. A short time later, the Condons were pardoned, and the castle was returned to them. In 1622, however, they again lost it to the Fleetwoods.

In 1642, during the Irish Confederate Wars, the Condons again retook the castle, killing the surrendering Fleetwoods. Their return was short-lived, however, for in 1643 the castle was again taken by English forces who then also slaughtered all the 38 occupants; men, women, and children.

In 1684 Cloghleagh Castle was sold to the Moores, who were later created Earls of Mount-Cashell. Apparently they had it repaired in the late 19th century. Probably this meant it was only consolidated, for it had already been pictured as a ruin in the 1780s.

At present, Cloghleagh Castle is situated on the grounds of Teagasc, a semi-State Agriculture and Food Development Authority, and therefore can not be visited.

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