English: Castles of Munster: Conna, Cork Conna Castle has an interesting if tragic history. Towering over the countryside overlooking the River Bride, this fine medieval skyscraper rises 85 feet from a great limestone bluff. Its builder Sir Thomas Ruadh FitzGerald was the eldest son of the 14th Earl of Desmond who died here in 1595. He built the castle in about 1550, and should have succeeded to his father's title and lands, but was disallowed in favour of his younger half-brother Garrett. His claim to the title passed to his eldest son James, known as the "sugan earl" because his claim was sure to fail - which it eventually did. After joining the revolt of 1599, he was betrayed, captured, and died in the Tower of London. That same year Conna was taken by the Earl of Essex, partly dismantled, and later granted to Richard Boyle Earl of Cork, who repaired the tower. In 1645 it was captured by Confederate forces under Lord Castlehaven, and the men of the garrison were put to the sword. The tower's history continued its sad course in 1653 when it was destroyed in a fire in which the three daughters of the steward were burnt to death.