Blackrock Castle and Observatory in Cork

Originally built as a defensive fortification on the banks of the river Lee at the approach to Cork city, Blackrock Castle today houses an observatory and science centre. This award-winning interactive astronomy centre is open to the public groups and offers exhibitions to learn about our universe.

Cosmos at the Castle is a self-guided experience, where your group can spend hours browsing cosmic history. You can send an email to space, experience the early formation of the universe and the first development of live, save Earth in the Comet Chaser game, discover the night sky in the planetarium and take part in interactive experiments at the SFI Discovery Zone.

Journeys of Exploration will teach you all about Blackrock’s past, when it was used to protect trade routes from smugglers and pirates. The tour includes the gunnery, riverside terrace and the tower top, from which you can enjoy a magnificent view of the river Lee, Lough Mahon and Cork harbour.

Blackrock Castle also regularly hosts temporary exhibitions. Currently, a collection of Space Mission Patches, provided by author John O’Sullivan, offers a comprehensive overview of human spaceflight from the early 1960s, the Apollo Moon Missions and to the construction of the International Space Station.

Blackrock is just one of Ireland’s numerous castles – if you group wants to see more, have a look at some of our favourites castles of Ireland.