This fortified house, known as a bawn, was built around 1614 by the Burke family, who were among the Gaelic aristocracy that adapted to English colonial pressures whilst maintaining their local power. The structure represents a fascinating period in Irish history when landowners needed to balance domestic comfort with military defence, creating homes that could withstand raids whilst still functioning as family residences.

The bawn at Cummer follows the typical design of these fortified enclosures; a rectangular stone wall surrounding a central courtyard, with defensive features including gun loops and a walkway along the top of the walls. What makes this particular example noteworthy is its relatively intact state, allowing visitors to appreciate the full defensive circuit that once protected the Burke family and their retainers. The walls, standing at approximately 12 feet high, enclosed not just the main house but also farm buildings, creating a self-sufficient compound that could weather sieges and attacks during the turbulent years of the Confederate Wars and Cromwellian conquest.

Archaeological investigations have revealed that the site was occupied well into the 18th century, with evidence of modifications that reflect changing security needs and architectural fashions. The bawn’s strategic position overlooking the surrounding countryside speaks to its dual purpose as both a status symbol and a practical fortress. Today, whilst the main house has long since disappeared, the bawn walls remain as a testament to a time when the Irish landscape was dotted with these hybrid structures; part home, part castle; embodying the complex political and social dynamics of plantation era Ireland.