In the late 17th century, the property passed from the Cheevers family to Colonel Bunbury, marking a significant change in the castle’s fortunes. The new owner reportedly dismantled two of the four towers, perhaps viewing them as unnecessary for his purposes or too expensive to maintain.

The castle’s transformation continued into the early 19th century when a third tower was removed, leaving just one standing testament to the original defensive structure. Samuel Lewis, writing in 1837, documented these changes, providing valuable historical evidence of how Irish castles evolved from military strongholds to more domestic residences as the need for fortification diminished.

Today, no trace remains of the original bawn at Ballyhealy. The defensive walls and remaining tower that once protected the Cheevers and later the Bunburys have vanished completely from the landscape. What was once a symbol of power and protection in medieval Wexford has been reduced to historical records and archaeological notation, catalogued simply as WX052-022 in Ireland’s archaeological inventory.