Youghal received its charter of incorporation in 1209, but the history of settlement on the site is longer, with Viking settlements dating back to the 11th century, the Church of Coran in the town's western suburbs dating from the 5th century, and evidence of Neolithic habitation at nearby Newport.

Older buildings in the town include Sir Walter Raleigh's home "Myrtle Grove" and the St Mary's Collegiate Church, thought to have been founded by St. Declan around 450.
The church was rebuilt in Irish Romanesque style in about 750, and a great Norman nave was erected in about 1220.
It is one of the few remaining medieval churches in Ireland to have remained in continuous use as a place of worship.
The Vikings used Youghal as a base for their raids on monastic sites along the south coast of Ireland, and a stone in St Mary's Collegiate Church bears the ancient etched outline of a longboat.
Since the 16th-century Plantation of Munster it has been the place of worship of the Church of Ireland congregation of Youghal and its surrounding areas.

The Sack of Youghal took place on 13 November 1579.
As the centre of English power in south Munster the town was badly damaged during the Second Desmond Rebellion when it was sacked by the forces of Gerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond, who massacred the garrison, hanged the English officials and looted the townspeople's homes.
The revenge killings that followed this included that of a priest, Daniel O'Neilan, OSF, on 28 March 1580.
He was fastened round the waist with a rope and thrown with weights tied to his feet from one of the town-gates at Youghal, finally fastened to a mill-wheel and torn to pieces.

The first record of the walls is a charter of 1275, granted by King Edward I, for their repair and extension.

Clock Gate Tower – In 1777, the town's Clock Gate Tower was built on the site of Trinity Castle, part of the town's fortifications.
It was used as a prison during the rebellion of 1798.
The military hanged suspects from a pole lashed from the lower windows to the corner of the first house on South Main Street (now Luigi's).
Thomas Gallagher was one of those hanged for trying to seduce a soldier from allegiance to his regiment.
Numerous forms of torture were conducted therein including thumb screws, pitch-cap, rack and flogging.
The Clock Gate served the town as gaol and public gallows until 1837.
It later became a family home, until the last family left in 1959.

Tynte's Castle – a late 15th-century urban tower house.
It is almost the only fortified relic of the era now in Youghal.
It was built by the Walsh family in 1602 and leased by the corporation to the Tynte family towards the end of the reign of King James I. It is shown in a map of Youghal dated 1663 as one of the defences of the town.
The building was passed down through the Tynte family and is now the property of the McCarthy family.

Alms Houses – the 17th-century almshouses were constructed by Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork in 1602 for widows.
Each tenant received two shillings a week, enough to sustain her.
Around the same time (1612), Sir Richard Boyle built a hospital and a free school.
For his efforts in colonising Munster, Sir Richard Boyle was granted the title and dignity Lord Boyle in 1616.
When a poll tax of two shillings was introduced in 1697, those living by alms were exempt.
Boyle's tomb is in St Mary's Collegiate Church.

Town Hall – A new Tholsel was erected in 1753 by the corporation, in lieu of that taken down in 1745.
It contained an exchange, Council House, Custom House and Grand Jury room.
It was situated outside the town walls beside the Water Gate.
The town's Water Gate was built in the 13th century to provide access through the town walls to the docks.
Also known as Cromwell's Arch, it was from here that Oliver Cromwell left Ireland in 1650, having overwintered in the town after his campaign in Ireland.

The Mall itself was used as a fashionable promenade and maintained by the mayor.
A military band played there on summer evenings and a play was held every Thursday evening in a little theatre there
Youghal received its charter of incorporation in 1209, but the history of settlement on the site is longer, with Viking settlements dating back to the 11th century, the Church of Coran in the town's western suburbs dating from the 5th century, and evidence of Neolithic habitation at nearby Newport.
Older buildings in the town include Sir Walter Raleigh's home "Myrtle Grove" and the St Mary's Collegiate Church, thought to have been founded by St. Declan around 450. The church was rebuilt in Irish Romanesque style in about 750, and a great Norman nave was erected in about 1220. It is one of the few remaining medieval churches in Ireland to have remained in continuous use as a place of worship. The Vikings used Youghal as a base for their raids on monastic sites along the south coast of Ireland, and a stone in St Mary's Collegiate Church bears the ancient etched outline of a longboat. Since the 16th-century Plantation of Munster it has been the place of worship of the Church of Ireland congregation of Youghal and its surrounding areas.
The Sack of Youghal took place on 13 November 1579. As the centre of English power in south Munster the town was badly damaged during the Second Desmond Rebellion when it was sacked by the forces of Gerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond, who massacred the garrison, hanged the English officials and looted the townspeople's homes. The revenge killings that followed this included that of a priest, Daniel O'Neilan, OSF, on 28 March 1580. He was fastened round the waist with a rope and thrown with weights tied to his feet from one of the town-gates at Youghal, finally fastened to a mill-wheel and torn to pieces.
The first record of the walls is a charter of 1275, granted by King Edward I, for their repair and extension.
Clock Gate Tower – In 1777, the town's Clock Gate Tower was built on the site of Trinity Castle, part of the town's fortifications. It was used as a prison during the rebellion of 1798. The military hanged suspects from a pole lashed from the lower windows to the corner of the first house on South Main Street (now Luigi's). Thomas Gallagher was one of those hanged for trying to seduce a soldier from allegiance to his regiment. Numerous forms of torture were conducted therein including thumb screws, pitch-cap, rack and flogging. The Clock Gate served the town as gaol and public gallows until 1837. It later became a family home, until the last family left in 1959.
Tynte's Castle – a late 15th-century urban tower house. It is almost the only fortified relic of the era now in Youghal. It was built by the Walsh family in 1602 and leased by the corporation to the Tynte family towards the end of the reign of King James I. It is shown in a map of Youghal dated 1663 as one of the defences of the town. The building was passed down through the Tynte family and is now the property of the McCarthy family.
Alms Houses – the 17th-century almshouses were constructed by Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork in 1602 for widows. Each tenant received two shillings a week, enough to sustain her. Around the same time (1612), Sir Richard Boyle built a hospital and a free school. For his efforts in colonising Munster, Sir Richard Boyle was granted the title and dignity Lord Boyle in 1616. When a poll tax of two shillings was introduced in 1697, those living by alms were exempt. Boyle's tomb is in St Mary's Collegiate Church.
Town Hall – A new Tholsel was erected in 1753 by the corporation, in lieu of that taken down in 1745. It contained an exchange, Council House, Custom House and Grand Jury room. It was situated outside the town walls beside the Water Gate. The town's Water Gate was built in the 13th century to provide access through the town walls to the docks. Also known as Cromwell's Arch, it was from here that Oliver Cromwell left Ireland in 1650, having overwintered in the town after his campaign in Ireland.
The Mall itself was used as a fashionable promenade and maintained by the mayor. A military band played there on summer evenings and a play was held every Thursday evening in a little theatre there
Youghal