The History of the Old CourtKanturk Castle, also known as The Old Court, is situated one mile south of Kanturk town, the capital of the ancient Barony of Duhallow in County Cork. The Castle was built for MacDonogh MacCarthy, Lord of Duhallow. Building began in 1600 and as the stout walls and four corner toweres began to rise so too did English anxiety. The privy council of Elizabeth I sent orders from London that building be halted immediately unless the Irish chieftain swore allegiance to the British crown. He promptly refused and building continued.
Shortly thereafter came a decisive turning point in Irish history. In 1601, after years of planning, the Spanish Navy was to come ashore at Kinsale Co. Cork and join an army of Irish rebels in an all out effort to drive the English out of Ireland. Along with most powerful Irish chieftains, MacDonogh MacCarthy and his men marched to Kinsale to meet their Spanish allies. Although they gained the upper hand in early battles, they were eventually defeated by English reinforcements. Many of the Irish leaders fled to exile on the European continent and those that remained, including MacCarthy, were put in jail and had their holdings confiscated. The defeat at Kinsale ensured English domination over Ireland for several centuries.
Stripped of his holdings and imprisoned for years, MacCarthy was never able to complete the constructuon of The Old Court and the English settlers whoe were granted his land left the castle unfinished. Though never inhabited it has managed to survive the last four hundred years in remarkably good condition and to this day is one of the best preserved castles in Ireland.
