The fortress here, known locally as the Fort of Faly according to O’Flanagan’s 1933 account, began its English incarnation in 1546 when Sir William Brabazon constructed Fort Governor. This strategic outpost attracted settlers despite frequent attacks from the displaced O’More and O’Conor clans, who fought to reclaim their ancestral lands. The transformation was complete in 1556 when the territory of Uí Failge was formally shired, and the fort received a new name; Philipstown, after Philip II of Spain, who had recently married Queen Mary I of England.

Today, visitors can explore the substantial remains of this plantation fort in Townparks. The site presents itself as a large, raised square platform, or bawn, measuring roughly 82 metres north to south and 83 metres east to west. This elevated area is defined by a defensive ditch and impressive sections of walling that reach heights of 2.8 metres in places, with the southwestern corner being particularly well preserved. The walls, built directly against the earthen embankment, display the solid construction techniques of 16th century military engineering, with thicknesses reaching 0.9 metres.

At the centre of this enclosed space lie the grass covered foundations of what appears to have been an H-shaped building or castle, the administrative heart of this frontier settlement. A stone causeway on the western side provided access across the defensive ditch, though this feature likely dates from a later period as it abuts rather than integrates with the perimeter wall. Historical surveys mention a bastion that once projected 8 feet from the western wall, spanning 17.5 feet wide, though no trace remains visible today. Two late 16th century armorial plaques that once adorned the fort have found a safer home in Daingean’s local library, silent witnesses to the grandeur this military outpost once commanded.