Bawn

The National Monuments Service's description

On a slight rise in level rough pasture. Indicated on both the first (1842) and Cassini (1920) editions of the OS 6-inch map. Listed at ‘Earthwork’ in the RMP (1996). Enclosing Ballyportry Castle (CL017-084002-). Described by Ua Cróinín and Breen (1997) as a narrow 17th-century bawn (20m NE-SW; 12m NW-SE) defined by stone walls (extant H c. 2.5m) containing fourteen keyhole gun-loops in embrasures (including an angle loop in the S corner), spaced roughly evenly along the walls. The original gate was on the NE side but a modern gate has been inserted in the SE side. There are circular corner bastions (diam. c. 4m) on the W and E corners, each having four small, narrow loop embrasures. The E bastion has been turned into a conservatory with a glass roof. Immediately to the S of the bawn is an enclosure (CL017-084003-) which may have been associated with the tower house and bawn.

 

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott 

 

Date of upload: 14-10-2025

References

Ua Cróinín, R. and Breen, M. 1997 The castles and tower-houses of Co. Clare, 6 vols. Unpublished report submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin.