Blackrock Castle

{{Infobox military installation

|name = Blackrock Castle

|native_name = Caisleán na Carraige Duibhe{{cite report | url= http://www.corkcity.ie/aboutus/publications/CCC_Annual_report_20063.pdf | date= 2006 | publisher= Cork City Council | title= Cork City Council Annual Report 2006 | section= Réamhfhocal ó Bhainisteoir na Cathrach | access-date= 31 January 2016 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171114182204/http://www.corkcity.ie/aboutus/publications/CCC_Annual_report_20063.pdf | archive-date= 14 November 2017 | url-status= dead }}

|partof =

|location = Cork, Ireland

|image = Blackrock Castle (Blackrock, Co.Cork).jpg

|image_size = 260px

|caption =

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|type = Castellated fortification

|coordinates = {{coord|51.9|N|8.4025|W|source:ruwiki_region:IE_type:landmark|format=dms|display=inline;title}}

|built = {{bulleted list |1582 - original fort | 1604 - redeveloped as castle | 1722 - tower rebuilt after fire | 1829 - larger rebuild after fire | 2002 - observatory added{{cite web | url= http://www.bco.ie/about/history/ | publisher= Blackrock Castle Observatory | title= Blackrock Castle History | access-date= 31 January 2016 | url-status= dead | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160303182101/http://www.bco.ie/about/history/ | archive-date= 3 March 2016 | df= dmy-all }} }}

|builder =

|materials = Limestone, ashlar masonry{{cite web|url= http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=CC®no=20864028 |access-date= 31 January 2016 | title =Blackrock Castle Observatory, Castle Road, Blackrock, Cork City | publisher=National Inventory of Architectural Heritage}}

|height = 5 stories, >{{convert|100|ft|m}}{{cite web|url= http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/history/illustratedlondonnews/cork-relatedexcerptsfromtheillustratedlondonnews/1853-1865/cork_blackrock_castle_cork_illuminated_p394_1863.pdf |date= 1863 |title=Blackrock Castle, Cork, Illuminated |publisher= Illustrated London News |website= Cork City Library "Past & Present" Project }}

|used = As visitor centre and observatory

|condition =

|ownership = Cork City Council

|open_to_public = Yes

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}}

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.{{cite web|url= http://www.castlecafe.ie/| publisher=Castlecafe.ie |title= The Castle Restaurant, Blackrock Castle }}

History

File:"Unidentified castle on seashore" is Blackrock Castle (35395315222).jpg

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,{{cite journal | date = 1915 | journal = Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society | publisher = Cork Historical and Archaeological Society |title= The Old Castles Around Cork Harbour |author= James Coleman | volume =XXI | pages = 106 }} and later around 1600, a round tower was constructed to safeguard against pirates "carrying away" vessels entering the harbour.{{cite book|title= Cork Harbour Through Time | publisher=Amberley Publishing Limited |isbn= 9781445634265 |author=Daniel Breen |date=2014 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=YCBVBQAAQBAJ&q=%22blackrock+castle%22+pirates&pg=PT19}} 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".{{cite book| title=Researches in the South of Ireland|author=Thomas Crofton Croker|date=1823|url=http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/E820000-001/text012.html| chapter=Chapter XI - Cork Harbour |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ooAuAAAAMAAJ&q=blackrock+dart&pg=PA213|page=212}} This custom, dating to at least the 18th century,{{cite web|url= http://www.corkcity.ie/yourcouncil/charters/ | publisher= Cork City Council | title= Your Council >> Charters |access-date = 1 February 2016}} 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.{{cite news|url= http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/local-knowhow-rules-the-waves-26180739.html | publisher= Irish Independent | title=Local know-how rules the waves |date=17 July 1998 |access-date = 1 February 2016}}{{cite web|url= http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/history/illustratedlondonnews/cork-relatedexcerptsfromtheillustratedlondonnews/1853-1865/cork_throwingdart_p531.pdf | publisher =Illustrated London News | date=2 June 1855 |title=Ceremony Of "Throwing The Dart" |website= Cork City Library "Past & Present" Project }}

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. The architects were George Richard Pain and James Pain, who were responsible for other public buildings around Cork at the time.{{cite web|url = http://dia.ie/works/view/13640/building/CO.+CORK%2C+BLACKROCK+CASTLE | publisher= Dictionary of Irish Architects | title = DIA entry - Co Cork, Blackrock Castle |access-date = 1 February 2016}} The neo-gothic complex of buildings around a courtyard is essentially what remains today.

File:Burgee of Blackrock Sailing Club.svg

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. 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

File:Blackrock Castle Cork.jpg

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|date=January 2016}}

Opened in 2007,{{cite news|url= http://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/features/blackrock-castle-observatory-is-the-perfect-space-388034.html | publisher = Irish Examiner | date= 18 March 2016 | title= Blackrock Castle Observatory is the perfect space

}} the "Cosmos at the Castle" project was intended to create a "centre for scientific research, outreach and communication".{{cite web |url= http://www.bco.ie/whats-here/cosmos-at-the-castle/ |title= Cosmos at the Castle |publisher= Blackrock Castle Observatory |access-date= 31 January 2016 |archive-date= 13 January 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160113172700/http://www.bco.ie/whats-here/cosmos-at-the-castle/ |url-status= dead }} 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.{{cite web | url= http://www.bco.ie/education/bco-for-schools/supernovaschooltour/ | publisher= Blackrock Castle Observatory | access-date= 12 August 2016 | title= Supernova School Tour | archive-date= 16 August 2016 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160816171636/http://www.bco.ie/education/bco-for-schools/supernovaschooltour/ | url-status= dead }}

The castle also houses labs staffed by astronomical researchers from Cork Institute of Technology.