€2.5m asking price for rare Graigue House in North Cork

Shanballymore in North Cork today stands as a pretty village. Its name in Irish — Seanbhaile Mór (Big Old Town) — already gives a clue that this small settlement of under 1,000 people was once a far more important one.

It has a history stretching back to the 12th century and within its modest-sized boundaries, there were no fewer than four defensive tower houses and three churches on its elevated position.

It was at the crossroads of so much, for so long, that it became of great strategic importance.