A bawn, derived from the Irish word ‘bábhún’ meaning cattle enclosure, served as a fortified courtyard that typically surrounded or stood adjacent to a tower house or castle. These structures became particularly common during the 16th and 17th centuries when English and Scottish settlers, granted lands under various plantation schemes, needed protection from potential raids whilst also safeguarding their livestock and agricultural stores.

The bawn at An Aird Thoir would have featured high stone walls, often reaching heights of 12 to 15 feet, with defensive features such as corner towers or flankers from which defenders could cover the walls with musket fire. The enclosed space served multiple purposes; it functioned as a secure area for cattle during times of unrest, provided storage for crops and equipment, and offered refuge for tenants and workers during attacks. The presence of such a structure in this part of Galway suggests the area’s strategic importance during the turbulent centuries following the Tudor conquest of Ireland.

Today, like many bawns across Ireland, the An Aird Thoir example likely stands as a romantic ruin, its walls partially collapsed but still bearing witness to a time when the Irish countryside was dotted with these fortified homesteads. These structures tell the complex story of colonisation, resistance, and adaptation that characterised rural Ireland for centuries. The bawn serves as a physical reminder of how architecture reflected the social and political tensions of early modern Ireland, where the need for defence shaped even the most basic agricultural buildings.