Desmond Castle - County Cork

Search By Town

Search By Area

Search By Map

Full Search

Desmond Castle - Kinsale *

Built as a custom house by the Earl of Desmond c. AD 1500, Desmond Castle has a colourful history, ranging from Spanish occupation in 1601 to use as a prison for captured American sailors during the American War of Independence. Known locally as 'The French Prison' after a tragic fire in which 54 prisoners, mainly French seamen, died in 1747. The Castle was also used as a borough jail from 1791 to the onset of the Great Famine when it was used as an auxiliary workhouse tending to the starving populace.

* Pictures; courtesy of photographic unit of the department of environment, heritage and local government.

Kinsale Listings

Sorry there is currently no listings for Kinsale.

Cork Listings

To search for County Cork listings please choose from the links on the left hand side of the screen. These links enable you to search by town, by area, by map or by a full listing. The links on the right hand side of the screen enable you to view County Cork map, festivals, visitor attractions and other useful information.

Ireland View is constantly improving the service to our visitors to ensure that you enjoy your search on this site and find all the information you require to book your Irish Holiday. If you experience any difficulties please contact the Web Developer directly by clicking on the link in the Other Resources section.