Blackrock Castle Observatory
Caisleán na Carraige Duibhe
A 16th-century castle at the mouth of the River Lee, now an interactive astronomy science centre with a riverside restaurant, well suited to families.
Blackrock Castle was built in the late 16th century to guard the shipping channel into Cork Harbour and to defend against pirates. It was rebuilt in the 19th century as the round-towered castle seen today. It is now run by the Cork Institute of Technology as an observatory and science centre. Its interactive exhibition halls cover the universe, asteroids, and the search for extraterrestrial life, and it also houses research telescopes. The riverside restaurant in the castle is a good choice for lunch or dinner. Admission to the exhibition is about 8 euros, and it is open roughly 10:00 to 17:00. It sits on the banks of the River Lee, about 5 km east of the city centre, and can be reached by riding along the riverside path.
Opening hours
About 10:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Crawford Art Gallery
- English Market
- St Anne's Church, Shandon (Shandon Bells)
- Cork Butter Museum
- Elizabeth Fort
- Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral
- University College Cork
- Fitzgerald's Park