Charles Fort
About
The great star fort out at Summercove, built in the years after 1677 and named for Charles II, and one of the largest military installations in the country. It guarded the mouth of Kinsale harbour against the French and the Spanish and stayed garrisoned by the British army until 1922, when it was burned during the Civil War. The OPW runs it now, with guided tours that take you up onto the ramparts above the harbour mouth and through the bastions, barracks and married quarters inside the walls. The pentagon plan and the seaward bastions were laid out in 1677 to 1682.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓Ramparts and bastions over the harbour mouth
- ✓Guided OPW tour of the barracks and quarters
- ✓A 17th-century star fort, one of the largest in Ireland
- ✓Garrisoned by the British army until 1922
Tips
- →Adult admission around €5; free with an OPW Heritage Card
- →Walk out from town along the Scilly Walk through Summercove
- →Take the guided tour; the bastion layout makes more sense with it
- →The ramparts are exposed; bring a layer on a windy day
Best Season
More Heritage Activities
James Fort
A ruined early-17th-century star fort at Castlepark, a free unstaffed national monument with harbour views.
Old Head of Kinsale & Lusitania Museum
The Lusitania museum and memorial garden in the restored signal tower above the Old Head cliffs.