Location: 2 km (1.5 mi) East of Cork city Map
Constructed: 16th century
Blackrock Castle is situated 2 km (1.5 mi) East of Cork city in Cork County in Ireland. Despite its medieval appearance Blackrock Castle was actually constructed in the 16th century during reign of Elizabeth I to protect the shores against pirates and invaders. Today Blackrock Castle is home to "Cosmos at the Castle" a scientific museum devoted to astronomy. Blackrock Castle also contains a restaurant open for the tourists.
In the late 16th century, the citizens of Cork
petitioned Queen Elizabeth I to build a fort at Blackrock to 'fight
off pirates and other invaders'. A fort was built on this site in
1582 and a round tower was added around 1600 to provide security
against pirates capturing ships entering the harbour. The earliest
part of the building that survives today is the round tower at the
water's edge, 10.5 meters thick with walls 2.2 meters thick.
According to a charter from King James I of England in 1608, the
castle belonged to the city of Cork. The fort is mentioned in the
Council Book of Cork in 1613 and 1614. In 1722 the old four storey
tower was destroyed by fire and rebuilt by the citizens of Cork at a
cost of £296.
Throughout this period, Blackrock Castle has
been used by Cork City Council for banquets and 'celebratory
gatherings' - some in connection with the tradition of 'throwing the
dart'. This tradition, which dates back to at least the 18th
century, was performed every three years in August and consisted of
the mayor shooting an arrow from a boat with a bow about 1.3 meters
(4.1 ft) long to establish city government jurisdiction over the
harbor to show
After a banquet, the fort was destroyed by
fire in 1827. Rebuilding began at the behest of Mayor Thomas
Dunscombe in 1828 and was completed in March 1829. The architects
had added three more floors to the original tower and rebuilt the
outbuildings. The new building cost the City of Cork £1000 and the
architects were George Richard Pain and James Pain, who were also
responsible for other public buildings around Cork at the time. The
neo-Gothic building complex around a courtyard is essentially what
remains of the fort today.
The fort came into private hands
for a period in the 20th century and served as a private home,
office, seat of a rowing club and restaurant. In 2001 Cork City
Council bought back Blackrock Castle and had it renovated and
converted into an observatory and museum.
In the early 2000s, Blackrock Castle was remodeled in
collaboration with Cork City Council, the Cork Institute of Technology
and a private donor.
Opened in 2007, the Cosmos at the Castle
project was intended to create a "Center for Scientific Research,
Broadening Horizons, and Communication." The observatory houses an
interactive astronomy center that is open to the public and features
exhibits such as the "Tour of the Universe" and a radio telescope that
allows school groups to send messages to nearby stars.
The fort
also houses laboratories where astronomers from the Cork Institute of
Technology work.