History of  Lady Carbery’s Lake Cottage/Castlefreke Estate

Originally this traditional stone building was the property of Lord and Lady Carbery of Castlefreke Estate.  Following a fire at the Castle in 1910, the Carberys continued to live in this house and had it extended and modernised while the Castle was being restored.    Lord John Carbery Junior who was noted for his swashbuckling lifestyle which included dramatic aeroplane displays over nearby Rathbarry village and  also for his republican sympathies,  (He was a member of the Irish Volunteer Force in Clonakilty), later renounced his title and all his lands in Ireland, moved to Kenya and ran a coffee plantation.   He and his 2nd wife Maia were prominent members of the ’Happy Valley’ set, made infamous in the film ’White Mischief’ wherein lies another story!

The current owners have once again extended and modernised the property, carefully restoring all the original features and are now renting the property as a luxury holiday home to discerning clients.

Of interest in the area is the large Celtic Cross on a hill overlooking the sea and stands in memory to the 9th Lord  of Carbery from nearby Castlefreke which is currently being restored by a direct descendant.  
  The Gothic Castle was  originally built by Arthur Freke in 1641. 

Nearby Rosscarbery is a cathedral town of serene beauty.  There is also a safe, sandy beach and lagoon ideal for sheltered watersports.  At the Celtic Ross Hotel there is a Leisure and fitness centre.   There is a childrens playground, a tennis and basketball court close to the village and an 18 hole pitch and putt course on the Warren beach sand dunes.  About three miles from Rosscarbery, in the centre of Castlefreke woods, is the ancient castle of Rathbarry.  This medieval fortress was erected in the 15th Century by Randal Oge Barry.  It was the most westerly stronghold of the powerful Norman family, Barry, who held vast areas of County Cork.  
Glandore and Union Hall are beautiful old world villages overlooking unspoiled Glandore Harbour.  Sheltered from the north and west winds, this is an excellent harbour for boating and fishing.  The mild winters here encourage luxuriant foliage and shrubs, making possible the commercial cultivation of winter flowers such as anemones and violets.  The area has been called ’The Garden of Carbery’  and the description by the Rev. Murray in the last century remains true today.

’Cloudless sky and spartling sea,
 Cliff and shore and forest tree,
 Glen and stream and mountain blue,
 Burst at once upon the view,
 The gay, the beautiful, the grand
 Blending over wave and landj
 ’Til the eye can see no more 
 than it hath is sweet Glandore’

The longest established regatta in West Cork takes place here annually. The 2 islands you can see in Glandore Harbour are known as Adam and Eve. The advice given to boatmen entering the harbour is ‘to avoid Adam and hug Eve’ – sensible advice and writers have found peace and tranquillity here, among them Sean O’Coilean – ‘The Silver Tongue of Munster’.

The long narrow bridge at the head of the inlet leads to the colourfuly painted village of Union Hall, which derives its name from the passing of the Act of Union in 1801. The village is a thriving fishing village. There are many sheltered coves, beaches and woodland walks. Ceim Hill Museum is a most unique and amazing private collection of ancient stones and folk material in a hilltop farmhouse, well worth a visit..

Rosscarbery was originally a monastic settlement (St. Fachtna) as important as Glendalough and Clonmacnoise, and since 1162 the centre of a separate diocese. On the east side of the village is the little St. Fachtna’s Cathedral, originating in times, with continual renovations and additions until 19^th Century. The entrance inside the Romanesque doorway contains a life size statue of the 9^th Lord of Carbery . The small museum housed here contains the relics of two saints. Two miles east is Bohonagh Stone Circle, including a displaced stone with cup marks, a low tomb, a well and a portal tomb. Two miles south east is Inch Strand, sheltered by Cloghna Head. Cleena’s Rock here is said to be haunted by the goddess Cliona, one of the three magic waves of Irish mythology.

Castle Salem: This 15^th century castle is one of the best preserved castles in Ireland, 70 feet high with massive walls and loopholes, and the usual spiral stairway. The original castle dates from about 1470. After the rebellion of 1641, the castle passed from the Carbery family to Major Apollo Morris, whose son William was a close friend of William Penn. There is an interesting old Quaker graveyard here. The present house built at right angles to the castle, dates from 1682. Open daily.

Lisnagun Ringfort (and Animal Park) at Darrara, very near Clonakilty is a re-constructed early Christian ringfort or defended farm dwelling on the original site, following archaeological discovery and excavation. You can see the circular ringfort behind its raised earthwork defences, its clay and wattle circular house cooking areas, outhouses, souterrains (underground passages for safety and food storage), and replicas of household utensils, weapons, and farm implements. The ringfort community was self-sufficient in meat cereals and vegetables, clothes and implements. In early Christian times, there were some 30,000 similar dwellings in Ireland. Here you get a keen sense of late Iron age times.

Coppingers Court, on the old Rosscarbery-Glandore Rd., is a 17^th Century fortified Elizabethan House, whose pointed gables and octagonal chimney are still visible. Fearing attack from the dispossessed Clan O’Driscoll, Coppinger built it for comfort and defence and included a gallows in his design. It is supposed to have a chimney for every month, a door for every week and a window for every year. Rumour has it that the House is also haunted. Stories that Coppinger had been a man of obscure origin, and quickly rose from being a poor and humble man to a position of power and property are incorrect as he was a member of a wealthy Cork city merchant family, who, along with the Skiddys were the last remnants the Norse traders. His intention was to build a market town around his court and ocnstruct a canal along the Rowry River, from the town to Millcove. The wars of 1641 upset his plans however. The house was attacked and partially burned.

The Michael Collins Memorial at Sam’s Cross, 5.5 km from Clonakilty, stands in memory to a great patriot, soldier and statesman of the 1916-22 period, born in nearby Woodfield in 1890. There is also a lifesize bronze statue to the man at Emmet Square, Clonakilty town, erected recently and unveiled by the actor Liam Neeson, who starred in the movie of the same name.

At Clonakilty, you can see Irelands largest outdoor Model Village built to scale, located off the Inchydoney Road near the town and including a miniature working railway.