Stay 
Kilcoe Castle
approx. 2.5 km
A 15th-century coastal tower house on a small island in the bay: a four-storey tower with a taller seven-storey tower attached at one corner, typical of West Cork.
Photo: Mike Searle, CC BY-SA 2.0
Tower on Roaring Water Bay: a night in a historic tower in West Cork
The historic tower on Roaring Water Bay stands on the Atlantic coast of West Cork, close to Skibbereen. Expedia lists it as a castle by the ocean and as a self-catering stay with a private host, with a kitchen, fireplaces, a sauna and a garden. Around it lie the islands of Carbery’s Hundred Isles and a string of medieval tower houses.
At a glance
- Location
- Near Skibbereen, County Cork, on the cliffs above Roaring Water Bay on Ireland’s south-west coast
- Accommodation
- Historic tower listed by Expedia as a castle by the ocean; self-catering stay with a private host, kitchen and fireplaces
- Highlights
- Coastal setting, terrace, garden, fire pit, barbecue, sauna, children’s playground, books and films, free Wi-Fi, parking on site
- Guest rating
- 9.4/10 from 81 reviews on Expedia (as of 14 Oct 2026)
- Check-in & check-out
- Check-in from 3 pm · check-out at 10 am
- Good to know
- No pets · non-smoking · upper floors reached by stairs only · parking on site
Staying in the tower on Roaring Water Bay: a self-catering castle stay
This is not a hotel with a front desk but a self-catering stay in a historic tower, offered by a private host. The interior is rustic, with stone walls, wooden beams and an open fireplace, a dining area around a wooden table and a kitchen with a black stove. Expedia notes that all rooms have fireplaces, free Wi-Fi and a work area.
The kitchen is fully equipped, with a hob, oven, dishwasher, fridge, toaster, mixer, kettle, spices, cookware and tableware, plus a pot for lobster and crab, which suits the coast. A kitchen island and a dining table make it easy to cook and eat together.
Outside there are a terrace, a garden, a barbecue, a fire pit and a children’s playground. Indoors, the sauna, a shelf of books and a film collection help on wet days, and beach towels are provided for the shore. Bed linen and towels are supplied, and there is central heating.
The listing does not give a historical name for the tower, so this page describes the stay and its coast rather than the building’s own past.
Photos of Tower on Roaring Water Bay
The history of the Roaring Water Bay coast and its tower houses
- 2200–600 BC – Copper is mined on Mount Gabriel, west of Ballydehob, and stone circles and tombs are built across the area.
- 1215 – An Anglo-Norman settler, FitzStephens, builds a tower house with a bawn at Dunasead, today’s Baltimore, on the site of an older ringfort.
- 15th century – Kilcoe Castle, a coastal tower house, is built on a small island in Roaringwater Bay.
- Late Middle Ages – The O’Mahony, O’Driscoll and McCarthy chieftains control the bay and build castles to command the fisheries and the water.
- 1602 – A campaign led by Sir George Carew, Lord President of Munster, breaks the power of the Irish clan chieftains in West Cork.
- 20 June 1631 – Barbary pirates raid Baltimore and carry off at least 107 villagers, the largest such attack on Ireland.
- 1981 – Lough Hyne becomes Ireland’s first Marine Nature Reserve.
- 2005 – The restored Dunasead Castle in Baltimore is partly opened to the public.
The listing does not name the tower or date it, and no Wikipedia article describes it, so its own history cannot be told here. What can be said is that the shores of Roaringwater Bay were once dotted with defensive towers: until the late Middle Ages the O’Mahony, O’Driscoll and McCarthy chieftains held the bay and built several castles to control the fisheries and access to the water.
Kilcoe Castle shows what such a building looked like: a rectangular four-storey tower with a taller seven-storey tower attached at one corner, a design typical of West Cork. The photograph shows Kilcoe and is included only as an example of the region’s tower houses; it is not the tower of this listing.
Facilities at the tower on Roaring Water Bay
The details below come from the Expedia listing (as of 14 Oct 2026); what is available may vary, so check the listing before you book.
Kitchen & dining
- Fully equipped kitchen with an island
- Hob, oven and dishwasher
- Fridge, toaster, mixer and kettle
- Cookware, crockery, cutlery and spices
- Pot for lobster and crab
- Dining table
Living & relaxing
- Fireplaces in the rooms
- Sauna
- Books and a film collection
- Study with desk, chair and monitor
- Central heating
- Free Wi-Fi in the rooms
Outdoors
- Terrace
- Garden
- Barbecue
- Fire pit
- Children’s playground
- Beach towels
Bathroom & practical
- Shower and hairdryer
- Soap and toilet paper
- Towels and bed linen provided
- Parking on site
- Non-smoking
- Upper floors by stairs only
Where the tower stands: Roaring Water Bay and Carbery’s Hundred Isles
The tower lies on the coast of Roaring Water Bay near Skibbereen in County Cork, on Ireland’s south-west edge. The bay holds many islands, known as Carbery’s Hundred Isles, with Cape Clear, Sherkin and Heir Island the largest, and it is a protected Special Area of Conservation. Schull, Ballydehob and Baltimore are the main villages around it.
Expedia lists Bantry House, Skibbereen Heritage Centre, Lough Hyne and Schull Harbour among nearby sights, and mentions the West Cork Arts Centre, St Patrick’s Cathedral and Liss Ard Gardens within 15 km. Baltimore, with its ferries to Sherkin and Cape Clear, is about 5 km away as the crow flies.
Cafés and pubs listed by Expedia are 15 to 27 minutes away by car, so a car is the practical way to get around; the kitchen on site makes self-catering easy.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Distances (as the crow flies from the tower’s position on the map)
| Roaringwater Bay (centre of the bay) | approx. 2 km |
| Kilcoe Castle | approx. 2.5 km |
| Dunasead Castle (Baltimore) | approx. 5 km |
| Baltimore (ferries to the islands) | approx. 5 km |
| Ballydehob | approx. 6 km |
| Lough Hyne | approx. 8 km |
| Schull | approx. 9 km |
| Skibbereen | approx. 11 km |
| Cape Clear Island | approx. 11 km |
| Bantry | approx. 18 km |
Distances are calculated as the crow flies from the position given in the Expedia listing, which may be approximate. Allow longer by road.
Things to see around the tower on Roaring Water Bay
Baltimore and Dunasead Castle
approx. 5 km
A harbour village and the main ferry port for Sherkin and Cape Clear. Above it stands the restored Dunasead Castle, a 17th-century fortified house on the site of a 13th-century fortification.
Photo: Masha Dunaeva, public domain
Ballydehob
approx. 6 km
A coastal village about 13 km west of Skibbereen. Copper was mined on nearby Mount Gabriel in the Bronze Age, and stone circles and tombs still dot the area.
Photo: Cynthia Bressani, CC BY-SA 2.0
Lough Hyne
approx. 8 km
A fully marine sea lough about 5 km south-west of Skibbereen and Ireland’s first Marine Nature Reserve (1981). Tidal currents rush in through the narrow “Rapids”.
Photo: Superbass, CC BY-SA 4.0
Schull
approx. 9 km
A small town with a sheltered harbour beneath Mount Gabriel (407 m), used for recreational sailing. It lies on the peninsula that leads to Mizen Head.
Photo: Gordon Hatton, CC BY-SA 2.0
Cape Clear Island
approx. 11 km
The southernmost inhabited part of Ireland and an Irish-speaking Gaeltacht, reached by ferry from Baltimore or Schull. A ruined 12th-century church stands near the North Harbour.
Photo: A. (Polish Wikipedia), CC BY 2.5
Tours & activities near Tower on Roaring Water Bay
Experiences in the region that you can book online with Viator:
Ring Of Kerry Tour
Ring of Kerry Tours Luxury mid-size bus tours of The Ring of Kerry The Only mid-size group tour of the world famous RING OF KERRY. With a smaller …
View details ›
Private Tour of Ring of Kerry & Valentia Island
Relax and Enjoy the Trip of a LIFE TIME : Starting at your HOTEL or B&B or Locality: Travelling the Ring of Kerry : From Killarney : Killorglin …
View details ›
The Classic Ring of Kerry & Skellig Ring Tour
Walk With Me include in their motor tours the classic and world renowned one day driving route that is The Ring of Kerry. This private motor tour …
View details ›
Private tour of Dingle and Slea Head with accredited guide
This is a private tour for up to 4 people so you can stop when and where you wish, the tour will be tailored to suit your needs. What better way to …
View details ›
Private Tour:Ring of Kerry,Kerry Cliffs from Kenmare, Sneem etc.
Our tour starts from one of the most beautiful town in Ireland - Kenmare. As private tour, we can customise it. We can visit some places out of …
View details ›
Full Day Private Cultural Tour in Dingle Peninsula
Join us as we reveal this amazing location to you. You will explore the Dingle Peninsula's breathtaking landscape and intriguing historical places in …
View details ›
Ring of Kerry and Kerry Cliffs Private Tour
Experience the breathtaking beauty of the Ring of Kerry with our exclusive private tour service, where every detail is tailored to make your journey …
View details ›
Dingle Town & Peninsula Private Chauffeur Driven Day Tour From Killarney Luxury
Dingle town and the beautiful Dingle Peninsula. Leaving Killarney we will pass through Castlemaine village home of the Wild Colonial Boy a bushranger …
View details ›Who is the tower on Roaring Water Bay for?
Families
A garden, playground, beach towels and a full kitchen make self-catering with children easy. Upper floors are reached by stairs only.
Couples
Fireplaces, a sauna and a fire pit by the Atlantic suit a quiet escape in West Cork.
Coast and nature lovers
Islands, harbours, the Lough Hyne marine reserve and ferries from Baltimore and Schull to Cape Clear and Sherkin.
History fans
Tower houses such as Kilcoe, the restored Dunasead Castle in Baltimore and the story of the 1631 raid.
Good to know before booking the tower on Roaring Water Bay
- Check-in is from 3 pm and check-out is at 10 am.
- Pets are not allowed, and the property is non-smoking.
- It is a self-catering stay with a private host, not a hotel with a front desk.
- Upper floors can only be reached by stairs. For special accessibility needs, contact the property via the booking confirmation.
- Parking is available on site.
- Restaurants and pubs listed by Expedia are 15 to 27 minutes away by car.
Find available dates at Tower on Roaring Water Bay
Frequently asked questions
Can you stay overnight in the tower on Roaring Water Bay?
Yes. Expedia lists it as a castle by the ocean, offered as a self-catering stay with a private host, near Skibbereen in West Cork.
Are pets allowed?
No. According to Expedia, pets are not allowed in this property.
What are the check-in and check-out times?
Check-in is from 3 pm and check-out is at 10 am.
Is there parking at the tower?
Yes, parking is available on the property.
Can you cook there?
Yes. The kitchen is fully equipped, with a hob, oven, dishwasher, fridge, cookware and tableware, and there is a dining table and a barbecue outside.
What is there to see near the tower?
Kilcoe Castle is about 2.5 km away, Baltimore and Dunasead Castle about 5 km, Lough Hyne about 8 km and Schull about 9 km, with Cape Clear Island reached by ferry.
Photos of the rooms, guest reviews and available dates are all in the listing for the tower on Roaring Water Bay on Expedia.
Fancy a self-catering stay in a historic tower above the Atlantic? Check availability and current prices for the tower on Roaring Water Bay on Expedia.
View on Expedia now