Bawn, Kilcloony, Co. Galway

Co. Galway |

Castle Features

Bawn, Kilcloony, Co. Galway

The rectangular bawn at Kilcloony Castle in County Galway offers a fascinating glimpse into the defensive architecture of medieval Ireland.

This fortified courtyard, measuring 32.5 metres east to west and 28.5 metres north to south, once formed a protective enclosure around the tower house that still dominates the site. Today, visitors can trace the grassed-over wall footings that mark out the entire perimeter of this historic structure. The tower house itself juts into the northwest corner of the bawn, with the courtyard walls extending from its southwest corner and rejoining it just north of the southeast corner, creating an integrated defensive complex.

Archaeological surveys have revealed intriguing details about life within these walls. Two rectangular structures can be traced within the bawn's interior; one in the northeast corner and another in the southern sector, though without excavation it remains unclear whether these buildings were contemporary with the main fortifications or added later. A gap at the western end of the south wall likely marks the original entrance to the courtyard. The site gained particular significance through recent research by FitzPatrick in 2019, who conducted a detailed survey examining its connection to the Uí hUiginn poets, a renowned literary family of medieval Ireland who were associated with this settlement.

The defensive nature of Kilcloony extends beyond the bawn itself, with a possible enclosure visible to the south of the main fortifications. Both features appear clearly in aerial photographs from 1967, offering a bird's eye view of how these medieval structures relate to each other and the surrounding landscape. The site was most recently inspected in August 1980, when the full extent of the bawn's foundations could still be traced, providing valuable insights into the layout and scale of this medieval stronghold.

Rated 0 out of 5

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of Pete F
Pete F
IrishHistory.com is passionate about helping people discover and connect with the rich stories of their local communities.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Bawn, Kilcloony, Co. Galway. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 100 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.

Advertisement