Desmond Castle

Desmond Castle is a tower residence positioned within the city of Kinsale in County Cork, Ireland. The fortress was built as the Customs House for Kinsale about the year 1500 by Maurice FitzGerald, ninth Earl of Desmond, following the supply of the customs of the port of Kinsale to the Earls of Desmond through King Henry VII in 1497. Presumably there ought to have been an in advance structure at the web page as the 1st Earl changed into Captain of Desmond Castle.

It changed into used as a Customs House till 1641 while it became transformed into a naval prison, following the development of a brand new Customs House. The prisoners saved within the Castle were in the major French and Spanish, and the constructing has become recognized regionally as the French Prison as a end result. In January 1747, a fireplace broke out, killing fifty four of the prisoners. In 1791, the fortress was donated by means of James Kearney MP to the town of Kinsale and it changed into subsequently used as a town gaol until 1846 and in the course of the Irish Famine as a workhouse. In 1938, it becomes taken into authority’s hands and inside the 90s became restored and opened to the public by the Office of Public Works.