Charles Fort

27/10/2026

💡🏠 Charles Fort Lighthouse. 💡🏠

One of the most commented upon sights for visitors to Charles Fort, be they children or adults, is the onsite Lighthouse. It stands at 18 metres above the Mean High Water Mark and is a fascinating building in terms of its history, design, construction and technology.

Although strictly speaking a Directional Light rather than a Lighthouse, operating under the care of Cork County Council and the Commissioners of Irish Lights, it is the latest incarnation of similar buildings located in this area.

In 1665, King Charles II, whom the fort is named after, issued Letters of Patent to Sir Robert Reading to build 6 lighthouses on the Irish coast. One of these was at Barry Og’s Castle which stood where Charles Fort is now. This would probably have been a stone structure with a coal fire on its roof. By 1810 all lighthouses in Ireland, including at Charles Fort, were transferred to the management of a body known The Corporation for Preserving and Improving the Port of Dublin but more commonly called The Ballast Board.

The present Lighthouse was built in 1929. As a structure, it has touches of the Art Deco style popular at the time. It was installed onsite in April 1929 and used Acetylene to power the lights. It was converted first to Propane in 1980 and finally, to electricity in 2004.
It was built by the famous Chance Brothers Glassworks, situated in the Midlands Industrial heartlands of England. This company continues to trade as a manufacturer of specialized glass products. James Timmins Chance was the first to place lighthouse lamps inside a cage containing reflective lenses (called optics). This accentuated the available light making the lamps more effective over greater distances. Among the places fitted with Chance Glass products are Big Ben in Westminster, the 1851 Crystal Palace and Chatsworth Estate. Among Chance Brothers other innovations were Ultraviolet blocking Glass and Cathode-ray tubes.

Standing proudly above the Governors’ House (reputed to be the residence of The White Lady), and recently re-painted, the Lighthouse is a distinctive and historic structure when viewed from land and a valuable safety aid to those using the harbour.

📝 Text: Charles Fort Guides - Finian O'Connor and Noel Dwyer.
📸 Images: Charles Fort Guides.

21/10/2026

👻 Children's Halloween Hunt at Charles Fort: ‘A Fearful Feast’. 🎃
From: Saturday 24th October to Sunday 1st November 2026, daily from 10am to 4pm.

The White Lady of Charles Fort is feeling joyful! Her favourite fiendish festival is almost upon us - Halloween! She is determined to celebrate in style and has organised a 'Fearful Feast' for her nearest and dearest Gobslotch friends! The monstrous menu featuring Brutal Bites and Nasty Nosh shall all be sloshed down with Gruesome Grape Juice and Terrifying Tea. But a mysterious mist has descended upon Charles Fort and the 'will-o'-the-wisp' has led her friends astray. She needs brave, ghoulish and ghostly children to help her locate her eight friends before her Fearful Feast is ruined and turns to maggots!!!

Children under 12 can visit for free but must be accompanied by an adult. 👱‍♀️👨‍🦰
Normal admission rates apply:
Adult - €5.00 Senior Citizen - €4.00 Student - €3.00
No pre-booking required.
This trail/hunt consists of 8 x tags hidden around the fort for children to find. 🕵️‍♂️

20/10/2026

The Devil's Bastion: A golden treasure at the bottom of a rainbow!🌈

Thanks to our colleague Doug for this lovely image. 📸

18/10/2026

Coming Soon ... Saturday 24th October to Sunday 1st November 2026. Children's Halloween Hunt at Charles Fort. 🧛‍♀️🧛
Open daily from 10am to 4pm.
Children under 12 years can visit for free but normal admission rate applies for accompanying parent / guardian.
Only brave souls need apply! 👻 🎃

Halloween 👻

The White Lady of Charles Fort is hosting a 'Fearful Feast' this Halloween, but a mysterious mist has descended and led all her friends astray. She needs your help to find them and bring them to her party!

For details of the trail and booking information visit https://heritageireland.ie/whats-on/a-fearful-feast-childrens-halloween-hunt/
📸Fáilte Ireland

OPW - Office of Public Works Charles Fort Visit Cork

15/10/2026

Charles who???

One of the most frequently asked question on our guided tours of Charles Fort is, “who is it named after?”. And the answer is Charles 2nd, King of England, Scotland & Ireland from 1660 to 1685.

Born in 1630, he was the eldest son of Charles 1st, who was executed in 1649 after a Civil War which resulted in Oliver Cromwell coming to power. It is recounted that, upon hearing of the death of Charles 1, his nephew Prince Rupert then leading a Naval Fleet loyal to the King in Kinsale, proclaimed Charles 2nd King in St Multose Church in Kinsale.

The younger Charles had escaped to France with his mother who was French and returned to England in 1660 to reclaim the throne upon Cromwell’s death, arriving in London on 29th May 1660, his 30th birthday. This Restoration of the monarchy gave its name to the entire era.

His reign covered some of the most dramatic events in 17th century history.
The Great Plague of 1665 resulted in deaths of up to 7,000 people a week and was quickly followed by The Great Fire of London in 1666. The “Popish Plot” letters of Titus Oates were indicative of the religious conflicts that served as a backdrop to his reign.

He was a patron of the arts and sciences, fascinated by new sciences and technology. and was known for his affability and friendliness, and for allowing his subjects easy access to him. This earned him the nickname ‘the merry monarch”.

He married a Portuguese Catholic princess, Catherine of Braganza, in 1662, who’s dowry of valuable trading rights in the East Indies and Brazil are often credited with later helping to develop the British Empire. The marriage didn’t produce any children who survived birth, although Charles had at least 13 children outside marriage and many mistresses including the actress, Nell Gwynn.

As his reign matured, the influence and role of his brother, later to become James 2nd, who was a Catholic become a source of conflict with the Parliament and would, after his death, lead to a civil war between James and William of Orange, a war largely fought in Ireland and involving the only time in its history that Charles Fort was laid siege to in 1690.

Built between 1677 and 1682 to a design by William Robinson, the fort in Kinsale was named Charles Fort after the then king. Charles himself died in 1685 aged 55 as a result of a stroke and his brother James succeeded him leading to some of the most dramatic events in Charles Fort’s long history.

Text: Noel Dwyer, Charles Fort, OPW.

07/10/2026

Free Admission Today - Wednesday 7th October 2026.
Open from 10am to 5pm.
Charles Fort Cafe open for delicious treats with stunning views of Kinsale Harbour. 🥪 🍰 ☕️

22/09/2026

Sharing some images of Culture Night 2026 at Charles Fort.
Pity about the weather! ☁️
Thanks to all who visited and huge thanks to our colleague Noel for his guided tour. 👍😀