Dunbeacon Cove is situated on the southwest coast of Ireland near the head and on the south eastern shore of Dunmanus Bay. It is a rocky inlet overlooked by the spartan remains of an old tower house that provides an anchorage.

The cove's inner section is too shallow to allow a vessel in far enough to obtain any real shelter, whilst the outer section is exposed to the full length of Dunmanus Bay. The only shelter it offers is for moderate-sized craft in offshore winds, easterlies round through southeast to south. Attentive daylight navigation is required for access as the bay is fringed by outlying rocks.

Dunbeacon Cove has little to recommend it, being rocky, confined and only offering a berth for vessels of less than 8 metres. Dunbeacon Harbour, just two miles to the north, on the other hand, offers an excellent anchorage.

Keyfacts for Dunbeacon Cove

Position and approaches

Haven position

51° 35.435' N, 009° 35.081' W

This is in the centre of the area just inside the mouth of the inlet.

What are the initial fixes?

The following waypoints will set up a final approach:

(i) Dunbeacon Cove initial fix

51° 35.570' N, 009° 35.300' W

This is over the mouth of the cove about 400 metres west of the castle. The inlet is situated about 200 metres to the southeast of here.

(ii) Dunmanus Bay initial fix

51° 30.700' N, 009° 51.200' W

This initial fix positions an Atlantic approach to Dunmanus Bay and is set midway between Sheep's Head and Mizen Head.

What are the key points of the approach?

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What's the story here?

Dunbeacon Cove is a small rocky inlet situated on the southeastern shore of Dunmanus Bay. It is set about 1¼ miles to the southwest of Dunbeacon Point where Dunmanus Bay narrows to a river estuary. A sharply forked promontory runs out a ¼ of a mile into the bay here and within a nook is the tight inlet of Dunbeacon Cove. It may be identified by the spartan remains of Dunbeacon Castle that overlooks the bay from a ridge of sandstone on the promontory. Apart from the remains of the old tower, this is rural wilderness. A seasonal stream drains into the head of the inlet where a pathway may be found that leads up to the road.



The cove offers a fairweather anchorage or lunch stop for a moderately sized boat. The inner part of the cove dries out so that it is not possible to anchor far enough within to obtain good shelter in any developed conditions.

How to get in?

Use Ireland’s coastal overview for Mizen Head to Loop Head for seaward approaches and the the run-up the long and narrow Dunmanus Bay is covered in the Dunbeacon Harbour entry. Dunbeacon Cove may be readily identified by the last remaining wall of Dunbeacon Castle on the east side of the cove which is a very conspicuous object. Beyond it, a Rath or ancient fort will be seen on the low cliffy shore.





From the initial fix the cove is entered between the off laying Carriglea Rock, which dries to 3.2 metres, situated off the western side of the entrance, and the corresponding rocks encroaching from the eastern shoreline. These combine to make the entrance little more than 200 metres wide.




The anchoring position is immediately inside the mouth of the cove. Vessels staying central in the outer section will find at least 2 metres and no dangers. Anchor over sand which slowly shelves to the head of the bay.



Land on the cove's sandy beaches, with the inner one being the preferred option for those considering following the pathway by the stream and taking a hike.

Alternatively land beneath the castle on the small steeply sloping gravel beaches on either side of the sandstone prong on which it stands. This saves scaling some fences to inspect the castle.

Why visit here?

First recorded as 'Downebekon' in 1614, Dunbeacon Cove derives its name from the Irish 'Dún Béacáin' meaning the 'fort of Béacáin'. The name 'Béacáin fortress' implies that it was built in the area of where a round fort once existed.




This would not be surprising as Dunbeacon Cove seems to have been an important site down through prehistoric times. A large shell midden found down by the shore may date from Late Bronze Age's pre-existing round fort. An extensive wave-cut platform to the west of the promontory may well be the site of a ringfort destroyed by the waves. There is a well-preserved Stone Pair and a Standing Stone site on the western slopes of Mount Corrin. A local holy well, 'Toberaleen', from 'Tobar na lín' 'well of the flax', also has deep historical roots. The cove's signature castle stood on the shoulder of the promontory overlooking the entrance was built by the area's powerful O'Mahony clan – see Dunmanus Harbour .




The majority of the O'Mahony tower houses in Ivagha were built by or for the sons of Conchobar Cabach. Dunbeacon Castle was allegedly built by his brother Dohmnall. If it is assumed that Dohmnall was born c.1400, so he may have built the tower house at any date during his adult life (c.1420 .c.1470) on what was thought to be the site of an older fort. Because Dohmnall had no surviving issue, it is recorded that a subsequent chieftain of the clan donated the vacant sept territory to his own son Donal O'Mahoney, brother of Donough Mor.




The tower house was built to protect the boundary and pass between their territories and those of the O'Donovans. It had minimal defensive features, indicating that this was a time of peace and prosperity where it was peacefully held. These tower houses served as centres of the fishing industry and were surrounded by more comfortable houses. This part of the family thrived here in an unbroken chain for more than a century and a half until the 1579 Desmond Rebellion.



Then, although the head of the O'Mahony clan kept aloof, the Dunbeacon family and the Rossbrin Castle families joined the uprising. After the rebellion failed the two O'Mahony there two tower houses were confiscated and passed into the hands of the English settlers. Ardintenant remained the headquarters of the clan until it was, most likely, surrendered to Captain Roger Harvy's forces after the Sack of Dunboy.




Today all that survives of Dunbeacon Castle's full height is half of the tower’s east wall. Yet, standing sentinel against the wind, facing down the length of Dunmanus Bay, its commanding position and the strategic advantage it would have imparted remains readily apparent today. The view encompasses the whole of Dunmanus Bay, permitting the entire 20km coastline of the Sheep's Head peninsula to be scanned. As a consequence, the site is very exposed, contributing to the piecemeal destruction of the tower house.



From a boating point of view Dunbeacon Cove's rocky patches lying at each side of the entrance, the narrowness of the cove, the limited swing room, and the fact that the inner part of the cove dries out all mean that it does not provide an anchoring position far enough in to obtain any real shelter. This makes it a day anchorage, a lunch stop, or a place to have a swim off the beach and explore the ruin at best. If it is calm a better anchorage could be had just outside the cove but Dunbeacon Harbour would be the preferred overnight option.

What facilities are available?

There are no facilities at Dunbeacon Cove.

Any security concerns?

Nerve an issue known to have occurred to a vessel in Dunmanus Harbour, and Dunbeacon Cove.

With thanks to:

Burke Corbett, Gusserane, New Ross, Co. Wexford. Photography with thanks to Mike Searle and Matthew Wilkinson for the header image.