Three Castle Head (also known as Dunlough Castle) is a breathtaking ruined castle built in 1207. Located in County Cork, on the cliffs of the Mizen Peninsula, it faces the Atlantic Ocean and is one of Ireland’s most beautiful castles! We literally fall for her serious charm, straight out of a heroic fantasy novel. But beware: according to the locals, the castle is haunted…
The Three castle head – caroline – cc
Three Castle Head was built in 1207 by Donagh O’Mahony, chief of the ancient Irish O’Mahony clan.
Imposing and magnificent, Three Castle Head is said to be one of the oldest Anglo-Norman castles in southern Ireland.
Set in a breathtaking wilderness between cliffs, ocean and lake, the castle is said to be one of the few medieval buildings in Ireland to have earned the reputation of a totally impregnable castle.
It takes the form of a series of 3 main towers linked by a 4.6-meter-high defensive wall, stretching for some 100 meters (parts of which are now in ruins).
Access is from the south, through private farmland: you’re allowed to cross, provided you respect the site. It’s a 30-minute walk through fields and steep cliffs. Be sure to bring good shoes: some corners require a bit of climbing.
Once there, the view is breathtaking. The castle stands with its 3 towers. It faces the ocean and has a pretty, deep-water lake at its feet. You’ll then have to take a small path between the ruins, further west, which will give you access to 120-metre-high cliffs, which will lead you to the foot of the towers. Be careful when you visit: the ruins are rickety, and we advise against venturing too far inside the towers.
The Three castle head – © e55evu
As well as being magnificent, the château itself is a real architectural curiosity. It is a rare example of dry-stone masonry from this period. Best of all, each tower has its own style and design. Each has its own dungeon, spread over 3 floors.
According to the researchers, however, the west tower (the largest) was the only tower to serve as a residence for its inhabitants.
Today, the deterioration of Dunlough Castle is attributed to the nature of the castle’s masonry (not sufficiently adapted to the climatic conditions of the site on which it stands). Nevertheless, the site has a breathtaking charm, and seems suspended outside time.
For the record, the place has a reputation for being haunted. A white lady would appear from time to time… For the superstitious Irish, it’s a bad omen, heralding the imminent death of the person who saw it…
Weaklings abstain…
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