The site preserves the ghostly outline of what was once an impressive defensive complex, with square towers still visible at the corners of what formed the original courtyard. These towers, though no longer reaching their full height, retain their distinctive external chimneys; a detail that speaks to the architectural style of the period. Today, they serve a more peaceful purpose as farm buildings, with modern structures bridging the gaps between them.

The layout reveals two distinct enclosed spaces that would have served different functions in the castle’s heyday. The inner courtyard sat directly in front of the old mansion’s entrance, bounded by walls that once connected the main house to the corner towers. Beyond this lay a larger outer bawn, which would have housed the various outbuildings and services essential to castle life. Remarkably, portions of these outer walls survive in good condition, particularly along one side of the quadrangle, offering visitors a tangible connection to the site’s medieval past.

Access to this outer enclosure was controlled through a single substantial gateway on the eastern side, positioned to face the mansion’s front entrance. This arrangement of nested defensive spaces was typical of Irish fortified houses, designed to provide both security and practicality for their inhabitants. The description of these ruins comes from archaeological surveys conducted in the 1990s, though the site continues to yield insights as research progresses. For those interested in exploring Ireland’s castle heritage, Ballymaddock offers a particularly clear example of how these defensive homesteads were organised and fortified.