Castles of Kerry

(Early Stone Fortifications - Castles, Towers and Strong-Houses)

Castle Name - Location - Early Founder - Time Period Contructed

Ardea Castle - Co. Kerry - O'Sullivan Beare - 13th? century tower-house
Ballingarry - mouth of the Shannon, Co. Kerry - Cantillon (1280)
Ballinskelligs - Co. Kerry - MacCarthy - 16th century
Ballybunion Castle - Co Kerry - FitzMaurice - 14th century
Ballycarbery - Co. Kerry - MacCarthy Mor (O'Connell) - 15th century
Ballymalis Castle- Co. Kerry - O'Moriarity, Ferris - 4 story, 16th century tower
Carrigafoyle - Co. Kerry - O'Conor Kerry- 15th century tower-house
Carrignass Castle - Co. Kerry - O'Sullivan (c1540)
Castle of the Island - Co. Kerry - - (1220)
Dunbeg Promontory Fort - Co. Kerry - 10th century
Dunkerron - Co. Kerry - O'Sullivan Mor - early Anglo-Norman tower
Dunloe Castle - Beaufort, Co. Kerry - Fitzgerald (c1215)- 17th century strong-house
Gallarus - Co. Kerry - Knight of Kerry - 16th century tower
Listowell (FitzMaurice) Castle - Co. Kerry - McGilligan, FitzMaurice - 15th century
Minard - Co. Kerry - tower
Castle of Parkvonear - Aghadoe, Co. Kerry - 13th century? round tower
Ross Castle - (here too) Killarney, Co. Kerry - O'Donoghue Mor, Browne - 15th/16th century
Skellig Michael - Co. Kerry - island monastic site (also see here)
Straigue Fort - Iveragh Peninsula, Co. Kerry - early ring fort
Castle Sybil - Co. Kerry - Ferriter

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Kerry's Country Homes

• ARDFERT - Ardfert Abbey
• Crosbie 1690+
• Built by Sir Thomas Crosbie, M.P. Altered 1720, and 1830. M. Bence-Jones, A Guide to Irish Country Houses, London, 1988. J.B. Burke, Visitation, 2nd Series, I, 1854, 137.

• BALLYHEIGH - Ballyheigh Castle
• Crosbie 1600+
• In Crosbie family since 1590. Rebuilt ca. 1758; James Crosbie remodelled the house ca. 1809. Burned 1921. M. Bence-Jones, A Guide to Irish Country Houses, London, 1988. J.P. Neale, Views, VI, 1823.

• BALLYSEEDY - Ballyseedy
• Blennerhassett 1690?
• Built by Robert Blennerhassett. Owned 1854 by Charles J. Blennerhassett. Rebuilt ca. 1810. J.B. Burke, Visitation, 2nd Series, II, 1855, 216.

• BEAUFORT - The Reeks
• McGillycuddy 1810+
• M. Bence-Jones, A Guide to Irish Country Houses, London, 1988.

• CASTLEMAIN HARBOUR - Miltown House
• Godfrey 1800+
• Owned by Sir John Godfrey - J.P. Neale's Views, vol. VI, 1823.

• KENMARE - Ardtully
• Orpen - Knight 1845
• Built by Sir Richard Orpen on site of earlier house. Bence-Jones, Guide, 1988. F.O. Morris, Series of Picturesque Views, vol. II, 1866+.

• KENMARE - Dromore Castle
• Mahony 1831+
• Built by Rev Denis Mahony. M. Bence-Jones, A Guide to Irish Country Houses, London, 1988.

• KENMARE - Lansdown Lodge
• Petty-Fitzmaurice 1764+
• Built by the 2nd Earl of Shelburne, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne. Mostly occupied by the Lansdowne agent. M. Bence-Jones, A Guide to Irish Country Houses, London, 1988.

• KILFLYNN - Crotto House
• Ponsonby - Carrique Ponsonby 1669
• Built in 1669. In Ponsonby family since 1660. Owned by Major Ponsonby - J.P. Neale's Views, vol. VI, 1823. Demolished. Bence-Jones, Guide, 1988.

• KILLARNEY - Flesk Castle
• Coltsmann 1700?
• Also known as Glenflesk Castle. Built by John Coltsmann. Owned by John Coltsmann - J.P. Neale's Views, Series 2, vol. I, 1824. Ruined. Bence-Jones, Guide, 1988. J.B. Burke, Visitation, 2nd Series, I, 1854, 204.

• KILLARNEY - Kenmare House
• Browne 1726
• Built by the 3rd Viscount near the old family estate - Ross Castle. M. Bence-Jones, A Guide to Irish Country Houses, London, 1988.

• KILLARNEY - Muckridge
• FitzGerald 1740+
• M. Bence-Jones, A Guide to Irish Country Houses, London, 1988.

• KILLARNEY - Muckross Abbey
• Herbert 1843
• Also spelled Mucross/Mucrus. Built by Col Henry A. Herbert M.P. M. Bence-Jones, A Guide to Irish Country Houses, London, 1988. J.B. Burke, Visitation, 2nd Series, II, 1855, 119-21.

• LIXNAW - Lixnaw House
• Fitzmaurice 1600+
• Castle enlarged 18 cent. The Fitzmaurices were Earls of Kerry. Ruined by 1837. M. Bence-Jones, A Guide to Irish Country Houses, London, 1988.

• MILLTOWN - Bushfield *
• Godfrey 1780+
• Built by Sir William Godfrey, 1st Bart., M.P. Altered ca. 1830 by Sir John Godfrey. The Godfreys here till 1960. M. Bence-Jones, A Guide to Irish Country Houses, London, 1988. Photo: Kilcoleman Abbey c. 1900

  *  Contributor John G Knightly shares this information: "Bushfield House, known as Kilcoleman Abbey from circa 1820, was remodeled for the first Baronet, Sir William Godfrey in the 1770's after the original Bushfield House was destroyed by fire. Recent research indicates that the new Bushfield was constructed from the remains of an older tower house on lands that originally belonged to the MacCarthy Mor. More or less abandoned from 1800 to 1818, the house was renovated under the second Baronet, Sir John Godfrey, according to ambitious plans drawn up by the famous architect, William Vitruvius Morrison. However the general economic decline of the 1820's and family misfortunes meant that only the stables and service wing, with its flemish gables, were completed as planned. Later, in the early 1840's, the third Baronet Sir William Duncan Godfrey further modified the main block of the house, adding an attic storey, a turret emblazoned with the Red Hand of Ulster, the traditional shield of a Baronet and assorted gables, pinnacles and buttresses. Inside the main reception rooms were remodeled in the then popular Gothic style with fine plasterwork by local craftmen, making liberal use of the Godfrey crest. The entrance hall was dominated by a fine bust of Eleanor, Lady Godfrey carved in Florence in 1817. The house was the centre of a 6,000-acre estate and was lived in continually by the Godfrey family until 1958. The last owner, Miss Phyllis Godfrey, confronted by a dreadful infestation of dry rot, was eventually forced to abandon the house for the gate lodge where she died in December 1959. The house was eventually demolished in the 1970's despite some valiant attempts to save it."

• SNEEM - Derryquin Castle
• Bland 1840+
• Built by James Franklin Bland. Burned 1922. M. Bence-Jones, A Guide to Irish Country Houses, London, 1988.

• WATERVILLE - Derrynane
• O'Connell 1700+
• Now restored. M. Bence-Jones, A Guide to Irish Country Houses, London, 1988.