History (as described in Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837) "Crosshaven, a village, in the parish of Templebready, barony of Kerrycurrihy, county of Cork, and province of Munster, 5 miles (E. S. E.) from Carrigaline; containing 513 inhabitants. It is situated on the noble estuary to which it gives name, but which is more generally known as the river Carrigaline, within the harbour of Cork, opposite to Dog's nose Point, and a little west from Ram Head; it comprises about 100 houses, which are small, but well built; and is one of the eight coast-guard stations in the district of Cobh. In the creek a vessel may ride in 10 or 12 feet of water. Crosshaven House, the residence of T. Hayes, Esq.; Camden Fort (described in the account of Templebready), and several handsome villas and lodges, the summer residences of those who visit the coast for sea-bathing, closely adjoin the village. An extensive fishery was formerly carried on, but it has so much declined that only five small vessels remain, and these are occasionally employed in the grain and coal trade"

Fort Camden (officially known as Fort Meagher), area 41 acres, elevation 67m O.D .is a Classical Coast Artillery Fort. Fortifications date from about 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. The land side of the Fort was modified for the mounting of 30 additional guns. 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. The Fort was handed over to the Irish Army in 1938, and in 1989 Cork County Council acquired ownership.

Tourism Possible plans Fort Camden include the development of a Military Heritage Centre and general tourist attractions, including visitor accommodation, watersport facilities, craftshops and restaurant. On the opposite side of the harbour stands its sister fort; Fort Carlisle (officially known as Fort Davis) which was possibly one of the earliest bastioned forts in the country. From Crosshaven a network of roads lead to a series of small and  bays with bathing nooks and fine coastal scenery. Church Bay at Weaver's Point, Myrtleville, Fennell's Bay, and Fountainstown. These are all reasonably close, but due to the steep hills still make for a challenging walk or cycle. 

Images of Crosshaven

Satellite image of Cork harbour today showing the location of Crosshaven (© 2006 TerraMetrics, edited by Crosshaven.biz).

The Owenboy river runs from Carrigaline past Crosshaven, through and area known as Drake's Pool, into the Cork Harbour (© 2007 Crosshaven.biz).

Old lime kilns, on the Carrigaline-Crosshaven Road, were been used for firing, baking, drying and hardening clay and also for grain and meal. The lime was used as whitewash or as a "poor man's" fertiliser. The lime would have come from Coolmore across the Owenboy river and was unloaded at the Drake's Pool pier (© 2007 Crosshaven.biz).

Fort Camden, to the left, is classic example of a fortress. It is seen here from the rocky shore below (© 2007 Crosshaven.biz).

Fort Carlisle, to the centre, was the sister of Fort Camden (© 2007 Crosshaven.biz).

Crosshaven Credit Union (© 2007 Crosshaven.biz).

Crosshaven Post Office. Its carpark enjoys a wonderful view of Currabinny Wood (© 2007 Crosshaven.biz).

Cronins Bar (© 2007 Crosshaven.biz).

Crosshaven House is an 18th Century Country House built in the centre of Crosshaven. The stately building, and its surrounding greenery brings an air of refined opulence to Crosshaven that nearby Carrigaline lacks (© 2007 Crosshaven.biz).

Crosshaven has many attractive old buildings (© 2007 Crosshaven.biz).


Fennels Bay, near Crosshaven circa 1930


A painted view of Crosshaven from a postcard circa 1918.


Crosshaven Bay circa 1900.

Crosshaven Hotel circa 1900. Note the low wall on the left where the Royal Cork Yacht Club building now stands.
Crosshaven Railway Station circa 1904.

Crosshaven circa 1900. The Crosshaven-Camden road runs left to right.

County Cork (Contae Chorcaí in Irish) is the most southwesterly and the largest of the modern counties of Ireland. The county is often referred to as the "Rebel County" because it has often taken a position in major conflicts different to that of most of Ireland. The county's tourist attractions include the Blarney Stone and Cobh (formerly Queenstown) which was the Titanic's last port of call. The remote west of the county, known as West Cork, is a popular destination for tourists, who visit the small villages and islands including Sherkin, Clear, and Dursey and on the mainland Mizen Head which is the "southwesternmost point in Ireland".