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Project
Community Owned and Managed Asset
Carriganass Castle Ltd. is a non-profit community-based
company with charitable status. The previous owners of the
castle, Anne and Joe O’Sullivan, very generously donated
the castle to the company which now owns and manages the castle
and amenity park in trust for the people of the Three Valleys. It
is one of the very few Irish castles owned by the community. The
company has no paid employees and the administration and
management of the project are done by a dedicated group of
community volunteers.
Members of the management committee
are: Richard Brennan, William Hourihan, Kay Lynch, Sean Lynch
(Secretary & Treasurer), Louisa Manning, John McCarthy
(Chairman), Eithne Murphy, Margaret O’Mahony, Pat O’Mahony,
Joe Sullivan and Dan Sullivan (Administrator). The clerical and
secretarial work is done by Padraig O’Sullivan. There are
regular minuted meetings and audited accounts are available.
Project Outline
The aims of Carriganass Castle Ltd. are to:
Preserve and make safe
Carriganass Castle, provide access with proper parking.
Develop picnic area west of
castle.
Create riverbank amenity park.
To develop tourism in the 3
Valleys with Carriganass Castle as the catalyst.
Develop walkways/cycle routes
with links to Kealkill Stone Circle, Toureen Lake, Knockboy,
Gougane Barra, Mullaghmesha, Sheep's Head and Glengarriff.
Construct facility for
exhibiting local arts, crafts.
- Develop small cultural/social centre for year round
activities.
The project is approved by Dúchas, the statutory government
service for the protection of national monuments and historic
properties. The merits of the project are reflected in the
funding made available by prestigious organisations such as the
Heritage Council, the Ireland Funds, West Cork LEADER, Cork
County Council, CLAR, and the Mary Daly Fund. Stephen Quill who
lives in Massachusetts and whose great grandfather was born in a
nearby townland has been a generous benefactor and enthusiastic
supporter over the years. Local community individuals and
business interests have made significant financial donations. In
so far as possible, services and materials required for the
project are sourced locally. Two part time workers are funded
through a FAS scheme.
Apart from the funding organisations, working links have been
established with Cork/Kerry Tourism, Beara Tourism, The Beara Way
and the Sheep's Head Way, the University of Ulster, the National
Waymarked ways, and West Cork Partnership.
 The
project has been adopted with great energy and enthusiasm by the
community. This is evident from attendance at events but, more
significantly, by the voluntary input of labour and services into
the project. The extent of community commitment is also reflected
in the opening of access to Kealkill’s famous Stone Circle
by kind permission of Eileen & Paul O’Neill. The
contribution and involvement of local musicians, dancers and
entertainers have been a significant factor in the success of
events at the castle. There has been a similar response from
people engaged in arts and crafts.
What's
been done
Castle
Necessary repairs carried out
and structure made safe.
New gates and cobbled
entrance.
Floodlighting.
Old farm building refurbished
to provide coffee shop & meeting place.
North eastern bastion
converted to gallery.
Information sign erected at
entrance.
Amenity Area
Construction of extensive
dry-stone walls.
River side picnic area.
Landscaped area outside west
wall with lawn and boulder marker.
Railed viewing area of
waterfall south of bridge with landscaped pathway.
Other Works
Repair of stone walls of
bridge.
Small parking areas.
Extended footpath linking
castle to village lined with trees.
Linear marked walk
to Kealkill Stone Circle.
Two looped walks linking the
castle to northern foothills and Beara–Breifne Way.
Events
Pageant based on Revenge of
Donal Cam.
Farmers' Market.
Christmas Fairs.
Festival of Light.
Halloween Fancy Dress &
Bonfire.
Art Exhibitions &
Competitions.
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School & Clan Visits.
New
Developments
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