Bawn, Clonmore, Co. Offaly
Along the road connecting Edenderry and Castlejordan in County Offaly, a small rectangular tower house stands amongst rolling grassland, its weathered stones now heavily cloaked in ivy.
Bawn, Clonmore, Co. Offaly
This modest fortification, dating from the late medieval period, rises just two storeys high and features the characteristic base batter typical of Irish tower houses; a sloping foundation designed to deflect projectiles and strengthen the structure against siege warfare. Time and neglect have taken their toll on the building, with portions of the stonework having been robbed away over the centuries, likely repurposed for nearby field walls or cottages.
What makes this site particularly interesting is the evidence of its former defences. A low, circular earthwork traces around the northern and western sides of the tower, marking what archaeologists believe to be the remains of a levelled bawn wall. These defensive enclosures were common features of Irish tower houses, creating a protected courtyard where cattle could be secured during raids and where the everyday activities of the household could take place with some degree of safety.
The tower house at Clonmore represents one of hundreds of such structures built across Ireland between the 15th and 17th centuries, primarily by Gaelic and Anglo-Norman families seeking to protect their lands and assert their status. Though poorly preserved compared to grander examples elsewhere in Ireland, this ivy-wrapped ruin offers a tangible connection to the turbulent centuries when such fortified homes dotted the Irish countryside, each one a symbol of local power and a refuge in uncertain times.





