As the Normans conquered Ireland 1,000 years ago, the O’Mahony Clan retreated to the furthest tip of the Mizen and built a Norman-style castle to defend themselves. They were no dummies, building at a spot where sea cliffs were on one side and Dunlough Lake on the other. It was never conquered. Today it makes for a great, spooky place in the middle of nowhere. A great payoff for just 4 km over the hills.