Glenquin Castle is a wonderfully restored tower house, six storeys high and with a crenellated top.
It was built by the O'Hallihans around 1550-1560. The castle was attacked many times during its life, and during the attack by the O'Briens all the occupants were slaughtered except one young boy who avenged his family some years later.
During the Desmond wars it was taken over by the FitzGeralds who held it until 1571 when the English confiscated all of their properties.
It was partly destroyed by Sir Walter Raleigh but it was restored about 250 years later by Mr Furlong, an agent of the Duke of Devonshire, who used it as a dwelling house.
Only two floors are intact, with whitewashed walls. On the first floor there's the murder hole, a slit in the floor from where soldiers could fire upon enemies who were entering the castle through the main doorway.
In the east (80°) corner there's a spiral staircase with two flights of steps, one with 57 stpes, the other one with 45 steps, up to the top of the tower. From here it's possible to enjoy an amazing landscape and a view of the last floor of the castle from above.
The tower measures 10 metres by 15 metres at the base, the doorway is on the northeast (35°) side. The height of the tower is about 20 metres.
On a stone in the west corner there's a weird carving, it could be a mason's mark.
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