Fort Camden

(Fort Meagher), Crosshaven, Cork

Documenting our Heritage

Fort Meagher is positioned on Rams Head near Crosshaven, covering the entrance of Cork Harbour with  Fort Carlisle opposite. It was one of four fortifications built in the late 1800's and early 1900's to protect Cork Harbour.

Fortifications on the site originally date from around 1550, they were further added to in 1600 however after the battle of Kinsale the fort became derelict. At the end of the 17th. century the Fort was fortified by the Jacobites in an effort to block the Williamites' naval forces. In 1690 it fired on the Williamite fleet as it entered Cork Harbour, but was silenced by a party sent ashore to attack it. It was known as James' Battery and consisted of two blockhouses and eight guns.

During the war against the French in the late 1780's Crosshaven got a permanent garrison and the threat of war with Spain around 1790 led to the erection of new gun batteries on the site. By 1837, the Fort contained only a token force of a master gunner and eight men. In 1875 the land side of the Fort was modified for the mounting of 30 additional guns. Sitting at the west side of the harbour it covers about 60 acres and stands about 200 feet above sea level. The fort area is honeycombed with underground passages and emplacements including a large magazine. It has a magnificent tunnel, engineered to house the fixed torpedo invented by Louis Philip Brennan.

Prior to Irish Independence, it was known as Fort Camden which it is still commonly known as today. By virtue of Cork Harbour being a Treaty Port, it remained occupied by British Forces until July 1938 when control was handed over to the Irish Defence Forces.

Fort Camden, which got its name from the Earl of Camden, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland between 1795 and 1798, is described in an historical note which was put in evidence as being recognised internationally to be one of the world’s finest remaining examples of a classical Coast Artillery Fort. After it was handed over to the Irish government in 1938, it was renamed Fort Meagher in honour of Thomas Francis Meagher.

In 1987 Cork County Council indicated that they were interested in having the fort developed as a military museum and suggested that the fort should be transferred for a nominal sum to another public body such as the council.

In November 1987 permission was conveyed to Bord Failte to carry out an architectural plan and feasibility study of the fort to assess its potential for tourism purposes.

In 1989 Cork County Council acquired ownership of the fort.

Plans stated at the time included the development of a Military Heritage Centre and general tourist attractions, including visitor accommodation, watersport facilities, craftshops and restaurant.

The Fort stands today abandoned and decaying.