In the late 16th century, the citizens of Cork appealed to Queen Elizabeth I to construct a fort at Blackrock to "repel pirates and other invaders". In 1582 a fortification was built on the site,[6] and later around 1600, a round tower was constructed to safeguard against pirates "carrying away" vessels entering the harbour.[7] The earliest elements of this structure remaining today are a circular tower on the water's edge, 10.5m in diameter, with walls 2.2m thick.
Blackrock Castle was in the ownership of the City of Cork following a charter of James I to the city in 1608. The castle is later referred to in the Council Book of Cork in 1613 and 1614. In 1722 the old four-storey tower was destroyed by fire and new one built by the citizens, costing £296.
Throughout this period, the castle was used by Cork Corporation for banquets and "convivial gatherings" - some associated with the custom of "throwing the dart".[8] This custom, dating to at least the 18th century,[9] was held every three years in August, and involved a dart (an arrow about four feet long) being thrown by the Mayor from a boat, to indicate the Corporation's jurisdiction over the harbour.[10][11]
Following a banquet, the castle was destroyed by fire in 1827. The rebuilding began at the direction of Mayor Thomas Dunscombe in 1828 and was completed in March 1829. The architects added three additional storeys to the original tower and rebuilt the out-buildings. The new building cost the City of Cork £1,000.[4] The architects were George Richard Pain and James Pain, who were responsible for other public buildings around Cork at the time.[12] The neo-gothic complex of buildings around a courtyard is essentially what remains today.
The castle entered private hands and for a time in the 20th century was used as a private residence, offices, rowing club headquarters, and restaurant.[2][4] The building was reacquired by Cork Corporation in 2001, and work commenced on renovating and re-purposing the complex as an observatory and museum.
Opened in 2007,[13] the "Cosmos at the Castle" project was intended to create a "centre for scientific research, outreach and communication".[14] The castle's observatory houses an interactive astronomy center which is open to the public, and has exhibits including a "tour of the universe" and a radio telescope that beams messages composed by school groups towards nearby stars.[15]
The castle also houses labs staffed by astronomical researchers from Cork Institute of Technology.[13]
^"Réamhfhocal ó Bhainisteoir na Cathrach". (PDF) (Report). Cork City Council. 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
^ abc"Blackrock Castle Observatory, Castle Road, Blackrock, Cork City". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
^"Blackrock Castle, Cork, Illuminated" (PDF). Cork City Library "Past & Present" Project. Illustrated London News. 1863.
^ abc. Blackrock Castle Observatory. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
^James Coleman (1915). "The Old Castles Around Cork Harbour". Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society. XXI. Cork Historical and Archaeological Society: 106.
blackrock, castle, castellated, fortification, located, blackrock, about, from, cork, city, centre, banks, river, ireland, originally, developed, coastal, defence, fortification, 16th, century, protect, upper, cork, harbour, port, site, houses, observatory, vi. Blackrock Castle is a castellated fortification located at Blackrock about 2 km from Cork city centre on the banks of the River Lee in Ireland Originally developed as a coastal defence fortification in the 16th century to protect upper Cork Harbour and port the site now houses an observatory visitor centre and restaurant 5 Blackrock CastleCaislean na Carraige Duibhe 1 Cork IrelandCoordinates51 54 00 N 8 24 09 W 51 9 N 8 4025 W 51 9 8 4025TypeCastellated fortificationHeight5 stories 2 gt 100 feet 30 m 3 Site informationOwnerCork City CouncilOpen tothe publicYesSite historyBuilt1582 original fort1604 redeveloped as castle1722 tower rebuilt after fire1829 larger rebuild after fire2002 observatory added 4 In useAs visitor centre and observatoryMaterialsLimestone ashlar masonry 2 Contents 1 History 2 Observatory 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory edit nbsp Blackrock Castle in the late 19th century In the late 16th century the citizens of Cork appealed to Queen Elizabeth I to construct a fort at Blackrock to repel pirates and other invaders In 1582 a fortification was built on the site 6 and later around 1600 a round tower was constructed to safeguard against pirates carrying away vessels entering the harbour 7 The earliest elements of this structure remaining today are a circular tower on the water s edge 10 5m in diameter with walls 2 2m thick Blackrock Castle was in the ownership of the City of Cork following a charter of James I to the city in 1608 The castle is later referred to in the Council Book of Cork in 1613 and 1614 In 1722 the old four storey tower was destroyed by fire and new one built by the citizens costing 296 Throughout this period the castle was used by Cork Corporation for banquets and convivial gatherings some associated with the custom of throwing the dart 8 This custom dating to at least the 18th century 9 was held every three years in August and involved a dart an arrow about four feet long being thrown by the Mayor from a boat to indicate the Corporation s jurisdiction over the harbour 10 11 Following a banquet the castle was destroyed by fire in 1827 The rebuilding began at the direction of Mayor Thomas Dunscombe in 1828 and was completed in March 1829 The architects added three additional storeys to the original tower and rebuilt the out buildings The new building cost the City of Cork 1 000 4 The architects were George Richard Pain and James Pain who were responsible for other public buildings around Cork at the time 12 The neo gothic complex of buildings around a courtyard is essentially what remains today The castle entered private hands and for a time in the 20th century was used as a private residence offices rowing club headquarters and restaurant 2 4 The building was reacquired by Cork Corporation in 2001 and work commenced on renovating and re purposing the complex as an observatory and museum Observatory edit nbsp Blackrock Castle Cork looking North In the early 2000s Blackrock Castle was redeveloped under a joint venture between Cork City Council Cork Institute of Technology and a private benefactor who Opened in 2007 13 the Cosmos at the Castle project was intended to create a centre for scientific research outreach and communication 14 The castle s observatory houses an interactive astronomy center which is open to the public and has exhibits including a tour of the universe and a radio telescope that beams messages composed by school groups towards nearby stars 15 The castle also houses labs staffed by astronomical researchers from Cork Institute of Technology 13 See also editList of astronomical observatoriesReferences edit Reamhfhocal o Bhainisteoir na Cathrach Cork City Council Annual Report 2006 PDF Report Cork City Council 2006 Archived from the original PDF on 14 November 2017 Retrieved 31 January 2016 a b c Blackrock Castle Observatory Castle Road Blackrock Cork City National Inventory of Architectural Heritage Retrieved 31 January 2016 Blackrock Castle Cork Illuminated PDF Cork City Library Past amp Present Project Illustrated London News 1863 a b c Blackrock Castle History Blackrock Castle Observatory Archived from the original on 3 March 2016 Retrieved 31 January 2016 The Castle Restaurant Blackrock Castle Castlecafe ie James Coleman 1915 The Old Castles Around Cork Harbour Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society XXI Cork Historical and Archaeological Society 106 Daniel Breen 2014 Cork Harbour Through Time Amberley Publishing Limited ISBN 9781445634265 Thomas Crofton Croker 1823 Chapter XI Cork Harbour Researches in the South of Ireland p 212 Your Council gt gt Charters Cork City Council Retrieved 1 February 2016 Local know how rules the waves Irish Independent 17 July 1998 Retrieved 1 February 2016 Ceremony Of Throwing The Dart PDF Cork City Library Past amp Present Project Illustrated London News 2 June 1855 DIA entry Co Cork Blackrock Castle Dictionary of Irish Architects Retrieved 1 February 2016 a b Blackrock Castle Observatory is the perfect space Irish Examiner 18 March 2016 Cosmos at the Castle Blackrock Castle Observatory Archived from the original on 13 January 2016 Retrieved 31 January 2016 Supernova School Tour Blackrock Castle Observatory Archived from the original on 16 August 2016 Retrieved 12 August 2016 External links editBlackrock Castle Observatory Portals nbsp Ireland nbsp Astronomy nbsp Stars nbsp Spaceflight nbsp Outer space nbsp Solar System nbsp Education nbsp Science Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Blackrock Castle amp oldid 1199217184, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
