Roadworks reveal towerhouse and ancient ‘ha-ha’ ditch
16:21, 15 Jun 2026Updated 16:22, 15 Jun 2026
Barnahely Castle in Ringaskiddy, alongside roadworks for the new M28
For decades, an ancient castle has been hidden by overgrowth and left to ruin, surrounded by one of Cork’s biggest industrial estates.
Now the works on Cork’s new M28 motorway will open up views of the ruin to tens of thousands of motorists every day. Barnahely Castle, or Castle Warren, a nearly 800-year-old ruin, sits in Ringaskiddy and looks out over the port of Cork and what will be the M28 when it is completed.
The major construction project, due to be completed in the summer of 2028, has revealed this ancient ruin with its wide ‘ha-ha’ ditch around it. A ‘ha-ha’ ditch is a kind of dry moat, a sunken wall that interrupts a field, creating a barrier and a large ‘drop’ between the area in front of a grand house or castle and the fields surrounding it. These features, developed in the 1600s, were designed to keep livestock away from homes without standard fences or walls that would block views.
‘Ha-ha’ Ditch from the Castle Warren Demesne(Image: M28 points of interest)
Workers from the construction project uncovered the ditch during excavations at Barnahely. Now the whole site will be visible from the new road.
Works on the M28 overlooking Barnahely Castle
According to the latest update from the Cork National Roads Office, excavation works are set to continue for the next few months along the Maryborough-to-Carr’s Hill link road, while work on the structure and the new link road at Shannonpark also continues – with preparations now underway for the installation of precast beams spanning between the retaining walls.
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Popular social media historian, Hugh Wright, has captured stunning drone footage of Barnahely Castle, posting it online as The Cinematic Country with a background into the unique history of the ruin.
In the clip posted to Wright’s over 250k followers, he explains that the “forgotten castle” dates back to the 11th century, when it was a tower house built by Miles de Cogan, a Norman chief. When he died, his skull was preserved and hung above the door of Banahely Castle.
In 1796, the castle passed to the Warren family and was renamed Castle Warren. Then, in 1850, the impressive property was put up for sale along with the expansive Warren estate. In 1895, the castle was called a ruin. It has stood in Ringaskiddy untouched since then.
Wright is a well-known historian on TikTok and Instagram, regularly posting eerie, educational videos about some of Ireland’s forgotten castles. He has previously made interesting videos, including one about the lesser-known Castle Inch. The 600-year-old structure west of Ballincollig was partially demolished in the 1950s – and then submerged by rising waters after the construction of the Inniscarra Dam.