Desmond Castle

Desmond Castle.

Desmond Castle (Irish: Caisleán Deasmhumhan) is a tower house located in the town of Kinsale in County Cork, Ireland.

History

The castle was built as the Customs House for Kinsale about the year 1500 by Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Desmond, following the grant of the customs of the port of Kinsale to the Earls of Desmond by King Henry VII in 1497. Presumably there must have been an earlier structure on the site as the 1st Earl was Captain of Desmond Castle.

It was used as a Customs House until 1641 when it was converted into a naval prison, following the construction of a new Customs House. The prisoners kept in the Castle were in the main French and Spanish, and the building became known locally as the "French Prison" as a result.

In January 1747, a fire broke out, killing 54 of the prisoners. In 1791, the castle was donated by James Kearney MP to the town of Kinsale, and it was subsequently used as a town gaol till 1846, and during the Irish Famine as a workhouse. In 1938, it was taken into government hands, and in the 1990s was restored and opened to the public by the Office of Public Works.

International Museum of Wine

In 1997, the International Museum of Wine,^[1] which details the links between Ireland and the wine trade, and is run by the Order of the Wine Geese, was added.

References

↑ Desmond Castle International Museum of Wine, Heritage Towns of Ireland.

External links

Desmond Castle (French Prison) information at Heritage Ireland
Desmond Castle and the International Museum of Wine

Historic Irish houses and castles

Connacht	Ashford Castle Aughnanure Castle Ballymore Castle Ballymote Castle Castle Hackett Classiebawn Castle Clifden Castle Clonalis House Dunguaire Castle Eyrecourt Castle Hazelwood House Glanleam House Kilronan Castle Lissadell House Markree Castle Parke's Castle Strokestown House Tyrone House Westport House

Dublin	Abbeville, Dublin Aldborough House Áras an Uachtaráin Ardgillan Castle Ashtown Castle Baggotrath Castle Carrickmines Castle Castleknock Castle Chichester House Clontarf Castle Deerfield Drimnagh Castle Dublin Castle Farmleigh Frescati House Howth Castle Iveagh House Killiney Castle Leinster House Luttrellstown Castle Malahide Castle Manderley Castle Mansion House Merrion Castle Mornington House Rathfarnham Castle Swords Castle

Munster	Abbeville, Tipperary Adare Manor Ballinskelligs Castle Ballycarbery Castle Ballyhannon Castle Bantry House Barryscourt Castle Black Castle Blarney Castle Bourchier's Castle Bunratty Castle Cahir Castle Cappoquin House Castle Conway Castle Donovan Castle Gurteen de la Poer Castle Oliver Castle Otway Craggaunowen Castle Croom Castle Curraghmore Derreen House Derryquin Castle Desmond Castle Doonagore Castle Dromoland Castle Dromore Castle Dunasead Castle Dunboy Castle Dunkerron Castle Dunlough Castle Ennistymon House Fota House Gallarus Castle Kilcash Castle Killagha Abbey Kiltinan Castle King John's Castle Knappogue Castle Leamaneh Castle Lismore Castle Listowel Castle Macroom Castle Moorstown Castle Mount Congreve Mount Trenchard House Muckross House Newtown Castle O'Dea Castle Ormonde Castle Parkavonear Castle Redwood Castle Rock of Cashel Ross Castle Slevoir House Strancally Castle Waterford Castle Woodhouse Woodstown House

Leinster	Allenstown House Altamont House Ardbraccan House Athlone Castle Athclare Castle Avondale House Ballinlough Castle Barberstown Castle Bargy Castle Bellinter House Belvedere House Bellevue House Birr Castle Carton House Castle Durrow Castle Roche Castletown House Charleville Castle Dangan Castle Dardistown Castle Darver Castle Duckett's Grove Dunsany Castle Durhamstown Castle Emo Court Enniscorthy Castle Foulksrath Castle Humewood Castle Huntington Castle Kilkea Castle Killeen Castle, Dunsany Kilkenny Castle Kilruddery House Kinnitty Castle Leap Castle Leixlip Castle Loftus Hall Lucan Manor Lyons Demesne Maynooth Castle Marlfield House Middleton Park House Mount Loftus Portlick Castle Powerscourt House Rock of Dunamase Russborough House Slane Castle Stradbally Hall Straffan House Summerhill House Townley Hall Trim Castle

Ulster	Altinaghree Castle Archbishop's Palace, Armagh Arthur Cottage Bailieborough Castle Ballymoyer House Bangor Castle Baronscourt Belfast Castle Blessingbourne House Burt Castle Carrickfergus Castle Castle Caulfield Castle Coole Castle Leslie Castle Saunderson Clandeboye House Cloughoughter Castle Crom Castle Derrymore House Doe Castle Donegal Castle Dundrum Castle Dungannon Castle Dunluce Castle Florence Court Glenarm Castle Glenveagh Castle Gosford Castle Grianan of Aileach Hillsborough Castle Hope Castle Inch Castle Lissan House Lough Eske Castle Monellan Castle Mongavlin Castle Mount Stewart Parkanaur House Richhill Castle Rossmore Castle Springhill House Tynan Abbey

See also Historic houses in Northern Ireland Historic houses in the Republic of Ireland

Coordinates: 51°42′27″N 8°31′50″W / 51.7075°N 8.5306°W / 51.7075; -8.5306

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