Dunlough Castle

At westernmost point of Mizen peninsula, on S side Three Castles Head; curtain wall (max. H 6m), incorporating a main tower and two mural towers, crosses headland from S edge Dun Lough to sheer cliff edge on N shore of Dunlough Bay. From cliff edge wall runs 22m N to abut W end of S wall of main tower (8.8m N-S; 7.4m E-W). Tower entered at ground- and 1st-floor levels by lintelled doors in N wall, remains of forestairs at base of wall; straight mural stairs rise from W side of ground-floor doorway to NW corner of 2nd floor chamber. Roof over 1st floor formed by two pointed arches separated from each other and from the side walls by overlapping slabs (see CO153-015002-). Mural stairs to wall walk rise from W side of 2nd-floor window embrasures in N wall.

Curtain wall runs for 23m from NE corner of tower to where a narrow tower stands against its outer face (projecting 2.2m; Wth 3.8m). Entered at ground level by lintelled door in curtain wall and at first floor level by lintelled door from wall walk. Floors linked by twisting mural stairs in N wall. Roofs over 1st and 2nd floors formed by series of overlapping slabs (higher roof missing central slab). Curtain wall runs on 3.5m beyond tower; then changes direction slightly to W and continues for a further 6m. Arched gateway in curtain wall leads into entrance passage through poorly preserved rectangular structure, with second archway giving access to area inside (W) of curtain.

Projecting out from structure to E is square tower (4.7m N-S; 4.5m E-W); SW corner abuts N side gateway through curtain.Tower entered at ground- and 2nd-floor levels by lintelled doors in W wall (from inside ruined structure). First floor covered by pointed wicker-centred vault (axis N-S) through which 1st floor entered via manhole. Spiral stairs in SW corner link 2nd to 3rd floor (and with floors above, now gone). Barrel vault over 3rd floor (axis E-W) damaged at SW corner. Curtain wall runs runs out from centre of N wall of tower for 8.5m to edge of lake.

West side of lake revetted by stone wall which may be continuation of these defences. Annalistic date of 1207 refers to construction of Dun Locha castle but surviving remains appear 15th-century in date (O Laoghaire 1981, 19). A castle of the O Mahony clan.