ARKIN CASTLE

Arkin’s Castle was believed to have been built in the 16th century and potentially belonged to the O’Brien family originally.

In 1574, James Lynch was in possession of the castle which later passed hands to John Rawson in 1594 and Teige na Buille O’Flaherty in 1607. However, in the 1650’s the castle became occupied by troops of Oliver Cromwell and was eventually demolished to make way for a Cromwellian Fort.

Unfortunately none of the original castle survived. A plan of the fort showed a rectangular structure with two square towers on the seaward side and two circular towers to landward.

The remains of the fort consist of a large portion of the north wall, a small tower in the south east corner and the remains of the water gate to the north.