From Wikipedia:
"Ballycarbery Castle is a castle 3km from Cahersiveen, County Kerry, Ireland and located near Tipperary, Ireland. The castle is situated high on a grass hill facing the sea and is a short distance from Cahergall Fort and Leacanabuile Fort.
There was some kind of residence situated on the site of the castle as early as 1398 however the present ruins were constructed in the 16th century. It was noted as a McCarthy Mor castle by some sources at that time but whether it was occupied by the McCarthy Mors or their wardens the O'Connells is unknown. The castle was passed onto Sir Valentine Browne following the death of its owner Donal McCarthy More. In 1652 it was attacked by cannon-fire from parliament forces. In the 18th century a house was built on the site using the barn wall and it was inhabited by the Lauder family. This house was demolished in the early 20th century.
The castle was surrounded by a high wall with less than half still remaining. There are arrow slits dotted along the bottom of the remaining wall. A staircase remains inside one part of the wall however is not easily accessible.
The ground floor of the castle was made up of several chambers but only one chamber is still roofed and walled. It's a large chamber with a quite high roof and in one corner a staircase leading upstairs.
There are two different staircases leading to the first floor and there is also a path up the back of the castle since the whole back wall is missing. One of the staircases is up on a height inside the ground floor chamber and is in very good condition. The other is entered from outside the chamber and is slightly damaged.
The first floor is covered in grass and has some windows and a few small rooms but is mostly in the open. The first floor is the highest accessible part of the castle as the steps to the second floor must have been attached to the now missing back wall."
From marker on site:
"Tradition attributes the building of this castle to one Carbery O'Sea but it is more firmly associated with the MacCarthys. Some form of residence appears to have stood on the site as early as 1398 when the death of Taghd MacCarthaigh there is recorded in the annals. However, the existing ruins are later in date and are probably those of "the castle of Valenchyen called Ballycarborow" referred to in in a document of 1569.
It is noted as a McCarthy More castle in 1594, while other 16th century sources indicate that it was occupied by the O'Connells in their capacity as MacCarthy wardens, indeed one Morgan O'Connell of Ballycarbery became High Sheriff of Kerry during Elizabethan times.
Possession of the castle passed to Sir Valentine Browne following the death of Daniel MacCarthy More - the Earl of Clancar - in 1596 and the castle appears to have been slighted by parliament forces 1651-52, when Valentia Harbor was Valentia Harbour was being fortified.
The tower house itself is rectangular measuring 22.5 m x 12.9 m, while there is an attached tower at its north-east corner. The entrance is at ground level and located in the north wall.
The ground floor of the building was divided into three transversely disposed chambers with average dimensions of 7.15m x 4.95m. The first floor was accommodated beneath the pointed vaults of these chambers. The first floor is also comprised of three chambers, while the second floor has two chambers - on large and one small.
The mural stair, which ascends from the entrance lobby to the second floor, is broken in places but was roofed with slabs and lit by three narrow loops set in lintelled, splayed embrasures.
The castle stands within the remains of a bawn, which originally enclosed an area measuring 31.6m north-south and 35m east-west. At present only the west wall and the western portion of the north wall remain.
In the 18th century a large house was constructed abutting the north end of the west wall of the bawn. The house was demolished in the early 20th century but is depicted in Daniel Grose's watercolours of the castle from the 19th century. The house was the residence of the Lauder Family."