Built around 1600 by the MacNamara clan, this five-storey tower house served as both a defensive stronghold and a comfortable residence for one of the region’s most influential Gaelic families. The castle’s name derives from the Irish word ‘bábhún’, meaning a fortified enclosure; a fitting description for this imposing structure that once controlled an important river crossing.

The MacNamaras, who held sway over this part of Clare for centuries, constructed their tower house with typical defensive features of the period: narrow windows, thick walls, and murder holes above the entrance. Yet the building also showcases signs of relative prosperity and comfort, including carved stone fireplaces and a sophisticated spiral staircase. The castle remained in MacNamara hands until the Cromwellian conquest of the 1650s, when it was confiscated and granted to English settlers, marking the end of Gaelic control over this strategic location.

Today, Bawn Castle stands as a well-preserved example of Irish tower house architecture, its grey limestone walls still commanding views across the surrounding countryside. Though roofless and empty, the structure retains much of its original character, from the vaulted ceiling of the ground floor to the corbelled corners that once supported the roof. Visitors can explore the ruins freely, climbing the worn stone steps to imagine life in this border fortress where Gaelic lords once dispensed justice, hosted feasts, and defended their territories against both English colonists and rival Irish clans.