Belvelly Castle is a 14th [1] or 15th-century [2] tower house in County Cork, Ireland. It is situated next to the small village of Belvelly, opposite and overlooking the only road bridge connecting Fota Island to Great Island (on which the town of Cobh is situated).
The castle was originally built by and for the Anglo-Norman Hodnett family, [1] but was taken by the De la Roch (Roche) and De Barra (Barry) families in the 14th century. [3] The Hodnetts later however leased-back their lands. Some sources suggest that Walter Raleigh occupied the castle in the 16th century, [4] before being reoccupied by the De Barra family, and used by Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery to garrison troops during the Irish Confederate Wars in the mid-17th century. [5]
By the 19th century the castle had fallen into ruin. During World War I, the castle received an increase in visitors when local coachmen brought sailors docked at nearby Queenstown (Cobh) to the castle - reputedly under the impression that they were actually visiting Blarney Castle and its Blarney Stone. [6] The castle was occupied and somewhat modified by the Irish Army during the Emergency (1939-1945). [5]
The castle was sold in the early 21st century, [7] with planning permission granted in early 2016 for restoration for use as a private dwelling. [8] This redevelopment was completed in late 2018, with additional artworks positioned on the roof of the tower house. [9] [10] The castle's owners are among the sponsors of local football club Cobh Ramblers FC. [11]
County Cork is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns are Mallow, Macroom, Midleton, and Skibbereen. As of 2022 the county had a population of 581,231, making it the third-most populous county in Ireland. Cork County Council is the local authority for the county, while Cork City Council governs the city of Cork and its environs. Notable Corkonians include Michael Collins, Jack Lynch, Roy Keane, Sonia O'Sullivan and Cillian Murphy.
Cobh, known from 1849 until 1920 as Queenstown, is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. With a population of around 13,000 inhabitants, Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour and home to Ireland's only dedicated cruise terminal. Tourism in the area draws on the maritime and emigration legacy of the town.
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.
Blarney Castle is a medieval stronghold in Blarney, near Cork, Ireland. Though earlier fortifications were built on the same spot, the current keep was built by the MacCarthy of Muskerry dynasty, a cadet branch of the Kings of Desmond, and dates from 1446. The Blarney Stone is among the machicolations of the castle.
Cork Harbour is a natural harbour and river estuary at the mouth of the River Lee in County Cork, Ireland. It is one of several which lay claim to the title of "second largest natural harbour in the world by navigational area". Other contenders include Halifax Harbour in Canada, Trincomalee Harbour in Sri Lanka and Poole Harbour in England.
Great Island is an island in Cork Harbour, at the mouth of the River Lee and close to the city of Cork, Ireland. The largest town on the island is Cobh. The island's economic and social history has historically been linked to the naval, ship-building, and shipping activities in the town's environs.
Spike Island is an island of 103 acres (42 ha) in Cork Harbour, Ireland. Originally the site of a monastic settlement, the island is dominated by an 18th-century bastion fort now named Fort Mitchel.
Mahon is an area to the south-eastern side of Cork, Ireland. Mahon gets its name from Lough Mahon, a wide stretch of the upper section of Cork Harbour. It was once a semi-rural peninsula, but from the late 20th century was subject to residential development, and has a number of housing estates and developments. The area was generally known as the Ring of Mahon, and is the site of Ringmahon House. Mahon is within the Cork South-Central Dáil constituency.
Metropolitan Cork is a semi-official term which refers to the city of Cork, Ireland, its suburbs, the rural hinterland that surrounds it, and a number of the towns and villages in that hinterland. Some of the latter towns and villages are within the administrative area of County Cork.
The Cork Suburban Rail network serves areas in and around Cork city in Ireland.
Little Island, County Cork, is a civil parish and mainly industrial area to the east of Cork city in Ireland. It is no longer an island, since the northern channel separating it from the mainland has filled over. To the west and south is Lough Mahon, part of Cork Harbour; across a channel to the east is Fota Island. Little Island is within the Dáil constituency of Cork North-Central.
Carrigaphooca Castle, is a ruined five storey rectangular tower house situated on a steep-sided rock overlooking the River Sullane. It is located 6 km west of Macroom, County Cork, Ireland, in an area once known as Gleann na n-Dearg. The tower dominates the landscape of Lissacresig (Fairyland) in Clondrohid, and Lower Shanballyshane, in Kilnamartyra. Carrigaphooca is made of sandstone and limestone and was built as a defensive tower by MacCarthy clan member Donal MacCarthy of Drishane c. 1336-51.
Belvelly is a small village on the northern end of the Great Island of Cork Harbour, about four miles north of the town of Cobh, County Cork, Ireland. Belvelly is situated at the shortest crossing point between Great Island and the neighbouring Fota Island. Belvelly Bridge connects Great Island to Fota Island, which is in turn connected to the mainland near Carrigtwohill.
Drimoleague is a village on the R586 road at its junction with the R593 in County Cork, Ireland. It lies roughly halfway between the towns of Dunmanway and Bantry, within the civil parish of Dromdaleague. As of the 2016 census of Ireland, Drimoleague had 451 residents.
The Port of Cork is the main port serving the South of Ireland, County Cork and Cork City. It offers all six shipping modes. In 2015, over 11 million tonnes of freight were shipped through the Port of Cork, making it the state’s second busiest port. As well as its berths upriver at Cork City, the port also includes other major locations across Cork Harbour, including Tivoli loading docks in the eastern suburbs, Cobh on the south of Great Island and Ringaskiddy on the west side of the harbour.
Cove Fort is a small bastioned land battery to the east of Cobh in County Cork, Ireland. Built as a coastal defence fortification in 1743, on instruction of the then Vice-Admiral of the Coast, it replaced a number of temporary coastal artillery batteries which defended Cork Harbour.
The Scots Church is a former Presbyterian church in Cobh, Ireland. It is today a museum, the Cobh Museum, which tells the history of the town.
Castlefreke, also known as Rathbarry, is a townland and village in County Cork, Ireland. The townland is located in the civil parish of Rathbarry on the R598 regional road, to the east of Rosscarbery.
The Custom House is an early 19th-century building in Cork, Ireland. Originally developed as a custom house and opened in 1818, the Cork Harbour Commissioners took over the building in 1904. The Port of Cork Company vacated the building in early 2021. The Custom House is, together with a number of other buildings on the same site, listed by Cork City Council on its Record of Protected Structures.
During the war [WWI] Queenstown [...] was constantly crowded with sailors on “shore leave”. Cork City was out of bounds, and [...] Blarney Castle proper [...] too long a journey [...] so the enterprising jarveys of the district evolved a scheme which brought [...] dozens to see the [Belvelly] Castle and kiss the "Stone"
Restoration of and alterations to a ruined tower house, including reconstruction of battlements and slate roof for use as dwelling house, to include a separate garage and boiler room, a new boundary wall, new vehicle entrance and a proprietary sewage treatment system and all associated site works
Coordinates: 51°53′17″N8°18′09″W / 51.8881°N 8.3024°W