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Elizabeth Fort

An earth banked fort was built for Queen Elizabeth to protect the city walls. With the accession of James I it was demolished by the citizens to prevent it being used against them. Lord Mountjoy took the city and forced the citizens to rebuild the fort in stone as can be seen today. It was completed in 1624. The next action took place in 1689 with the fort's capture by Irish forces and then capitulating after Cork's city walls were breached in 1690. It remained as a barracks, acting as a prison for women convicts in the 1840s. It was used by British forces and by 'Black & Tans' after the Great War. The internal buildings were burnt out during the Civil War. It is now used by the Garda and limited access is allowed to the walls.

As with a number of forts built in Ireland the major problems were topography and improvements in artillery. Whereas originally it protected the city walls it became vulnerable to more effective artillery placed on higher ground. Another fort, Cat Fort, was built to provide protection but this was easily over-run.