This subrectangular fortified enclosure, measuring 38 metres northeast to southwest and 22.5 metres northwest to southeast, surrounds the castle with coursed limestone walls that stand three metres high. The structure commands panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, though it’s overlooked by higher ground to the south and southeast. Archaeological excavations led by Professor Etienne Rynne in 1974 revealed that these impressive walls, averaging 1.4 metres thick at the base, were built on substantial stone foundations reinforced with additional boulders in vulnerable corners.

The excavations uncovered intriguing details about life within the bawn’s protective walls. The original entrance, located about nine metres southwest of the tower house, featured a pair of doors mounted on pivot stones with gudgeons, a sophisticated closing mechanism for its time. Against the northeastern wall, archaeologists discovered evidence of domestic structures including the gable end of a building complete with chimney and fireplace remains, plus an intramural chamber with a lintelled ceiling. Among the artefacts recovered were two bronze harp pegs, testimony to the cultural life of the castle’s inhabitants, alongside more mundane items like a bronze and iron buckle, an iron needle, and nail.

Today’s visitors can explore the restored bawn, which retains several original features alongside modern reconstruction work. The north wall houses a lintelled fireplace measuring 1.55 metres wide, with an adjacent doorway leading to a small chamber built within the wall’s thickness. The tower house itself is integrated into the bawn’s defensive circuit, with the enclosure wall abutting it on both sides and entrances positioned strategically on either side of the tower. The interior space, now grass covered, remains level in its northern half whilst sloping gently southward, preserving the defensive advantages of its elevated position that made Doonnagore such a formidable stronghold centuries ago.