Haunting 15th-century O'Sullivan Bere stronghold on a windswept promontory above Berehaven Harbour, with castle ruins, siege history, and woodland-coastal loop walks — all free and unstaffed.
From the castle, follow the well-maintained path along the headland for open views across Berehaven Sound to Bere Island and its lighthouse. The terrain is uneven and fully exposed — wear sturdy footwear and keep back from unfenced drops, especially in wind.
Walk through the low stone footings of the 15th-century tower house (about 17 m × 13 m, walls standing up to 4 m). Trace the mural stairs, garderobe shafts, and vaulted window embrasures. Interpretive panels on site tell the gripping story of the 1602 siege, when 143 defenders held out for 11 days against 4,000–5,000 English troops.
Just beside the tower-house ruins, trace the star-shaped bastion fort built in the Cromwellian era (1650s) and the outlines of the original bawn wall — mapped by archaeologists in the 1960s–70s. The earthworks mark the shift from medieval tower house to modern coastal defence.
On the lane to the castle you pass the shell of Puxley Mansion, a Victorian Gothic manor built by copper-mining magnates. Burned by the IRA in 1920 and later the subject of an abandoned 6-star hotel restoration, it inspired Daphne du Maurier's novel Hungry Hill. The building is private — admire it from the road.
From the car park, follow green arrows for the short Dunboy Woods Loop through forestry and along the shore of Bullig Bay, or purple arrows for the longer Bullig Bay Loop (about 5 km). Both start from the mapboard at the car park and offer waterside sections with picnic benches, stone-skimming spots, and views of Ardnakinna Lighthouse.
Dunboy Castle is a natural waypoint on the Beara Way long-distance walking trail. The headland and woodland paths around the castle connect into this 196-km route circling the entire Beara Peninsula.
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