Kilbolane Castle

Kilbolane Castle is a historical building half a kilometre from the village of Milford, County Cork, Ireland and is still a great source of interest among historians. The castle was built shortly after the arrival of Strongbow and the Anglo-Normans. It was the stronghold of the De Cogans and later of the Fitzgibbon branch of the Fitzgeralds. In 1587 the castle was granted to Hugo Cuffe who was unable to exert real power in the area and in 1590 it reverted indirectly to the Fitzgibbons when it was granted to Sir William Power, husband of Helena Fitzgibbon.

The Castle was destroyed by Cromwell's army in 1642Fact|date=October 2007 leaving only two of its towers in livable condition. On removing the remains of the ancient church, the tomb of the Synan family, bearing the date 1446, was transferred to the new edifice. The east tower was acquired by captain John Nicholls who built a single story house against the bawn wall and passed the property on to his eldest grandson, John Bowen. The south tower was inhabited by a family called Weekes. John Bowen began to build Kilbolane House at the end of the Castle garden shortly after 1695. The castle still stands at the top of Kilbolane Hill.

A neat church, with a square tower, was erected in 1832, chiefly at the expense of the Rev. J. Bruce, the incumbent, and is now being completed by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.