Bawn, Ballyconnell, Co. Galway
In Ballyconnell, County Galway, the remnants of a historic bawn wall tell a story of Ireland's turbulent past.
Bawn, Ballyconnell, Co. Galway
This defensive structure once formed a rectangular enclosure around a tower house that still occupies the southern half of the site. Today, only the foundations remain visible, offering glimpses of what was once a formidable fortification designed to protect the residents from raids and attacks during the plantation era.
The surviving foundations reveal the bawn’s substantial scale; the northwestern wall stretched approximately 48.8 metres, whilst the northeastern side measured 38.5 metres and the southeastern wall extended 47.7 metres. The southwestern wall proves more elusive, with only a 7.6 metre section still traceable. Within this fragmentary wall, archaeologists have identified a gap measuring 1.9 metres wide, which likely marks the original gateway where residents and visitors would have entered this protected compound.
Bawns like this one were essential features of the Irish landscape from the late medieval period through to the 17th century, serving as fortified courtyards that provided security for livestock and offered refuge during times of conflict. The tower house at the centre would have served as both the main residence and the last line of defence, whilst the surrounding bawn wall created a secure space for daily activities and agricultural storage. Though time has reduced this particular example to its foundations, these stone traces continue to map out the footprint of a once vital defensive complex.