Inside this 18th-century West Cork castle, owned by the Disney family

Coolmain Castle has a rich and magical provenance and has been home to the Disney family for the past 35-years. Purchased by Roy E. Disney, nephew of Walt Disney and vice-chairman of the Walt Disney Company, in 1989 and comprehensively restored and updated, Coolmain Castle has been meticulously maintained ever since. Notable owners before the Disney’s have included The Honourable Henry Boyle Bernard, Thomas Wyse, Hibernicus Scott, the novelist Donn Byrne, photographer Bob Willougby, ‘the man who virtually invented the photojournalistic motion picture still’ and most recently and fittingly, the Disney family.

Coolmain Castle is an extremely attractive and magical 18th-century castle, gloriously positioned within private parkland that enjoys a prominent position overlooking the sea and up the estuary to Courtmacsherry Bay. Just an 18-minute drive from Kinsale town, the property covers 56 acres with six receptions, nine bedrooms and six bathrooms.

The property boasts pastoral views over undulating countryside, combining gloriously with expansive sea views to give impressive and panoramic vistas from the castle and grounds.

A tree-lined avenue provides a magical approach, from where a stone arch leads to an inner courtyard. Attractive stone walls provide an extremely pleasant aesthetic. The house is presented in superb condition and is simply magical; the symmetrical five-bay original Georgian house is wonderfully augmented by the 19th-century castellated tower and battlemented parapet walls to create a beautifully attractive and fun house.

The accommodation is well laid out and updated to readily allow comfortable living, seamlessly incorporating modern convenience whilst retaining fantastic historical character.

The reception rooms are impressive with large windows and generous ceiling heights and link excellently to allow superb entertaining yet are each of a scale to be comfortable.

The generous kitchen with the wonderfully large table is a great space and superbly designed to allow informal gatherings for family and guests. There are ample bedroom suites, and the first-floor sunroom conservatory is exceptional.

The original L-Shaped Stable yard has been carefully upgraded and features a modern self-contained three-bedroom residence, three well-appointed loose boxes and an abundance of overhead lofted storage – itself ripe for further conversion if desired. This ivy-clad local cut stone finish allows the building to blend seamlessly into the castellated surroundings with a traditional stone archway highlighting its period features.

The gardens and grounds are glorious, extremely private and sheltered but with excellent sea views still afforded. There is a blend of formal terraces and manicured lawns within the immediate gardens with less formal gardens and wider parklands.

The outer coastal lands very much connect the estate to the sea and provide some lovely private coves and beaches. Coolmain Beach is noted for its pristine powdery sand. Overall, the various component parts of the estate all combine to present a truly magical and attractive circa 56-acre estate.

Dating back to the early 18th-century, a magical fusion of various additions and amendments in keeping with changing architectural fashions over the preceding centuries presents a wonderfully textured and layered architecture that makes Coolmain Castle truly authentic and attractive.

Currently on the market for €7,500,000 via Hodnett Forde Property Services, you can take a full virtual tour of Coolmain Castle through our gallery below.