Ballincollig is a large and growing town about 10 km west of Cork city on the road to Macroom. Its most interesting feature is the Royal Gunpowder Mills, an 18th-century industrial complex now preserved as a regional park with walking trails along the River Lee. The ruins of the mills, workers' cottages, and canal system give a vivid picture of what was once one of the largest gunpowder factories in the British Isles.
The north side of the main street is dominated by a mile-long stone wall that once enclosed the army barracks, now being redeveloped. The town makes a practical base for exploring the Cork and Kerry region.
South of the town, Ballincollig Castle is a ruined Norman tower house from the 15th century, and along the Lee to the east, Carrigrohane Castle sits dramatically on a limestone bluff above the river.