This cruciform house, likely built around 1641 by the Barry family, sits on the south side of a farmyard, with the imposing Kilmaclenine Castle perched on the ridge some 90 metres above. The main block of the building stretches approximately 21 metres east to west, though time has not been kind; the east wall has long since vanished, and the north wing collapsed around 1870, according to historical records.

The defensive nature of this fortified house becomes clear upon closer inspection. The south wing’s entrance features a pointed arch doorway complete with yett holes for securing a heavy gate, whilst gun loops strategically positioned throughout the structure provided covering fire along the building’s walls. The main ground floor chamber, an impressive space measuring over 18 metres long, was illuminated by three matching windows along the south wall, each originally divided by mullions and transoms beneath decorative hood mouldings. Multiple fireplaces warmed the interior spaces, with remnants visible in both the north and west walls, whilst the basement below, now largely filled with rubble, once supported wooden floors evidenced by surviving joist holes.

The building’s sophisticated design extends to its upper levels, where string courses mark the divisions between floors and similar window arrangements mirror those below. The south wing appears to have risen to at least two storeys, possibly three, with windows on multiple walls providing both light and defensive positions. Historical photographs from around 1866 show chimney stacks crowning the gables before they fell in 1902, giving us a glimpse of the building in its more complete state. The remarkable similarity between this structure and Ightermurragh in East Cork suggests they may have shared builders or architectural plans, both standing as examples of the fortified houses that once dotted the Irish countryside during turbulent times.