Important information regarding cookies
By using this website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our
Privacy Policy.
The Castle has 9 bedrooms and sleeps 23 in total. Accommodation for a further 47 people is available in the Garden Apartments in the Castle Courtyard. There is also a campsite on the grounds.
A medieval Castle for rent in Ireland, the spectacular home of the former Viscount of Fermoy and Lords of the Barony of Fermoy, is a truly unique heritage site of international significance. Blackwater Castle, with a history extending back some 10,000 years to the Mesolithic period, is available to hire as a private Castle experience for exclusive Castle weddings, private parties, and family gatherings.
The Castle was first erected in the twelfth century on the site of the Bronze Age fortress of Dún Cruadha, an inland promontory fort which was established some 2,500 years ago or more on a rocky outcrop on the banks of the River Awbeg. Beautifully appointed suites, welcoming reception rooms, historical tours, and extensive activities from zip-lining to fly fishing are all on offer at one of Ireland’s more interesting and best preserved castles set on a 50 acre estate of mature native Irish trees with a private stretch of the River Awbeg.
Visitors gracing the Castle down through the centuries include Early Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, Druids and Chieftains, Strongbow’s Men at Arms, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Michael Jackson while Oliver Cromwell and his army also laid siege to the Castle. More recently we have received the President of Ireland Uachtarán Michael D. Higgins who described the Castle as a “beautiful place” and set in “a majestic and pastoral environment”. This exquisite Castle is available for private exclusive hire as the perfect venue for castle weddings, private parties and self catering holiday vacation rentals. Guesthouse options are also available for group bookings.
This “charming historic location” which is “steeped in history” (Hitched.ie) is a hidden gem tucked away in the hills of North Cork and is just “perfect for a private wedding” (One Fab Day). We have also been selected among the Best Wedding Venues in Ireland (One Fab Day) for five consecutive years since 2014 and in the top 20 Castle Wedding Venues in Ireland (WeddingDates.ie). Trips To Discover identified us as one of the top 10 most romantic private hire venues while Tanya Sweeney writing in The Irish Examiner on 6th May 2015 claimed that Blackwater Castle was one of only 6 wedding venues that you would ever need in your wedding venue little black book.
There is no formula at Blackwater Castle – you will have complete control over all arrangements so your celebration will reflect your unique style and requirements. Our wedding couples are not drawn to the idea of a hotel wedding which they feel will force them into a formulaic event which more suits the hotel’s arrangements rather than their own requirements. At Blackwater Castle we actively encourage you to turn convention on its head if you wish and arrange the type of celebration that bests suits you and your spouse to be and not your venue. We offer contacts of those who can assist you in preparing your special day from caterers and bar staff to magicians and beauticians but we give you complete freedom with the arrangements and help you every step of the way in achieving a Castle Wedding that will live long in your memories and those of your guests.
