Blackrock Castle

Blackrock Castle, formerly Mahon Castle, is a 16th century castle located about 2km from the heart of Cork city, Ireland on the banks of the River Lee.
In the late 16th century, the citizens of Cork appealed to Queen Elizabeth I to construct a fort at Blackrock to "repel pirates and other invaders". In or around 1600, a round tower was constructed to safeguard against pirates "carrying away" vessels entering the harbour.
Blackrock Castle houses Ireland's first fully interactive astronomy center developed by the award-winning multimedia company Martello Media. The exhibition is now open to the public and is themed "The Search for Extreme Life in the Universe".