Monkstown Castle sits on an elevated site overlooking Cork Harbour, built in 1636 by Anastacia Archdeacon. According to local lore, her returning husband mistook the fortification for an enemy position and fired upon it with cannon, creating the distinctive asymmetrical battlements visible today. The castle was ingeniously constructed using recycled materials from a nearby monastery and round tower, with workers housed and provisioned on-site. It served as military barracks during the Peninsular War and later as the Monkstown Golf Club headquarters from 1908 to 1983. Following restoration in 2007, the castle now houses luxury apartments, preserving this quirky 17th-century gem.
