Blackrock Castle

Blackrock Castle which includes heritage elements, a castle and heritage architecture


Throughout Ireland you can see impressive sites where the ancient and the modern go hand in hand. Nowhere is this combination more striking than at Blackrock Castle, home to Ireland’s first interactive astronomy centre.

At Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) Blackrock Castle Observatory, you can step 400 years into the past and see light years into the distant corners of the cosmos.

Blackrock Castle was originally built in the 16th Century to protect against pirates. The castle was twice damaged by fire – once in 1722 and again in 1827. Each time it was rebuilt, and the surviving structure is well maintained, impressive to behold and great fun to explore.

The “star” attraction at Blackrock Castle is the Observatory, which opened in 2007. It is filled with fun, educational activities that appeal to everyone from the curious youngster to the hardened science boffin.

Cosmos at the Castle is an engaging interactive exhibit showcasing some of the most recent celestial discoveries. The cinematic Comet Chaser game invites you to help design a crucial mission to prevent a comet from colliding with the earth. This high-stakes adventure requires you to use scientific principles to make critical decisions that could avert cosmic catastrophe.

For those wanting to reach out into the stars, the Observatory offers the chance to write an email that is then beamed via radio telescope to nearby stars known to have orbiting planets. Your message could be the first communication from Earth to be read by extraterrestrials!

A stunning fusion of the ancient and the modern, Blackrock Castle truly is out of this world.

Popular places to visit


Top Hotel Deals

Maldron Hotel Shandon Cork
Maldron Hotel Shandon Cork
4 out of 5
John Redmond Street, Shandon, Cork, Cork
Maldron Hotel Shandon Cork
Maldron Hotel South Mall Cork City
Maldron Hotel South Mall Cork City
4 out of 5
Southmall, Cork, Co. Cork
Maldron Hotel South Mall Cork City
Rochestown Park Hotel
Rochestown Park Hotel
4 out of 5
Rochestown Road, Douglas, Cork
Rochestown Park Hotel
Clayton Hotel Silver Springs
Clayton Hotel Silver Springs
4 out of 5
Tivoli, Cork, Cork
Clayton Hotel Silver Springs
Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Cork
Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Cork
4 out of 5
Ditchley House Little Island, Cork, Cork
Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Cork
The River Lee Hotel
The River Lee Hotel
4 out of 5
Western Road, Cork, Cork
The River Lee Hotel
Belvedere Lodge
Belvedere Lodge
3 out of 5
Tivoli Lower Glanmire Road, Cork, Cork
Belvedere Lodge
Imperial Hotel
Imperial Hotel
4 out of 5
76 South Mall Street, Cork, Cork
Imperial Hotel
Leonardo Hotel Cork
Leonardo Hotel Cork
4 out of 5
Andersons Quay, Cork, Cork
Leonardo Hotel Cork
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.