Barryscourt Castle

PricingFree with English Heritage membershipEH memberFree entryNon-member€5

EH members go freeInfo

Free entry for English Heritage members

This place is cared for by the Office of Public Works, which runs Ireland's national heritage sites as Heritage Ireland. English Heritage members are entitled to free entry to all OPW sites from the first year of membership. Show your current membership card at admissions.

Bring the card itself: joint and family memberships admit the named holders only.
Guided sites may run tours at set times; unguided sites are free to everyone.
Prices here are in euro.

More information

Entry

Non-member prices

Adult: guided tour€5.00

Child or student: guided tour€3.00

Senior or group: guided tour€4.00

Family: guided tour€13.00

Pricing details

OPW's guided-tour price as printed in October 2026 for the upper chambers; the gardens and outside area are free to everyone. In the 2026 season OPW's page said 'Free admission' (June 2026) and visitors reported free tours, so the charge may apply from 2027. Free for English Heritage members showing a valid card, from the first year of membership (every OPW site; the named members on the card). Heritage Card holders free.

OPW's Child/Student rate; no age band given, and OPW says children under 12 visit free. Gardens free. Free for English Heritage members showing a valid card, from the first year of membership (every OPW site; the named members on the card). Heritage Card holders free.

OPW's Group/Senior rate; no age given. Gardens free. Free for English Heritage members showing a valid card, from the first year of membership (every OPW site; the named members on the card). Heritage Card holders free.

OPW's family ticket; the family is not defined. Gardens free. Free for English Heritage members showing a valid card, from the first year of membership (every OPW site; the named members on the card). Heritage Card holders free.

ParkingParking not known

The Trust's page does not say how parking is charged.

Parking details

OPW lists a car park and coach parking at the castle, near Carrigtwohill off the Cork to Youghal road (N25), without saying whether parking is free. No bus or rail service is named.

Driving pin: the castle car park, 39 m south of OPW's pin on the tower house.

About

Near Carrigtwohill, east of Cork, Barryscourt is one of the finest Irish tower houses. It was built between 1392 and 1420 under John Ciotach Barry, 7th Lord Barry, and became the main seat of the Lords Barrymore. In the late 16th century the Barrys sided with the FitzGeralds of Desmond in their rebellions and partly destroyed the castle themselves to keep it from Sir Walter Raleigh. It was attacked again in the Confederate War of the 17th century, and cannon balls are still lodged in the wall above the entrance. The castle has been extensively restored: the main hall and great hall have their fittings and furnishings back, and the herb and knot garden and orchard follow their 16th-century design. Guided tours for small groups climb the spiral stairs to the upper chambers, while the gardens and grounds are free to wander. There is a car park by the castle off the N25, and Fota is 3.5 km away.

ClosedPick a day for times and prices

Site Closed Site is now closed for the 2026 season. We look forward to welcoming visitors again in 2027.

Today, Saturday 24 October

Barryscourt CastleClosed

Closed for the winter.

Opening times may change at short notice.

Open seasonally: in 2026 from 23 April to 24 September, daily 10:00 to 18:00 with last admission at 17:15. OPW looks forward to welcoming visitors again in 2027; dates not yet published. The upper chambers are seen only on guided tours of up to 13 people; the gardens and outside area are free to explore unguided. Groups of ten or more must pre-book. Recheck 1 April 2027.

Challenging access for visitors with mobility issues: spiral stairs, steep uneven steps and tight spaces in the tower. Wheelchair-accessible toilet and baby changing; tea, coffee and treats from a horse-box stall at weekends.

Photo: Barryscourt Castle's tower house and bawn gateway beside the restored courtyard range under a clear sky. Caoimheen3, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Front_view_of_Barryscourt_Castle.jpg. Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0. Resized and cropped for display; derivatives retain the source licence.

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