When archaeologists first surveyed the site in 1983, they discovered a surviving section of the bawn wall at the northwest corner of the tower house. This fragment of history stretched eight metres along a north-south axis, abutting the western end of the tower’s north wall, and featured a deteriorating arched opening approximately 2.4 metres wide.

The antiquarian Nolan, writing in 1901, identified this archway as the original entrance to the bawn, the fortified enclosure that once protected the tower house and its inhabitants. He noted that steps once led to the top of the archway, though these had already vanished by the time of the 1983 survey. Bawns were essential defensive features of Irish tower houses, providing a secure courtyard where livestock could be protected during raids and where daily activities could be conducted under the watchful eye of guards posted on the walls.

Unfortunately, time has not been kind to these remnants. When archaeologists returned to the site in July 2011, they found that the arched entrance had collapsed entirely, taking with it another piece of the area’s architectural heritage. The loss serves as a reminder of how vulnerable these unprotected ruins are to the elements and highlights the importance of documenting such sites whilst traces still remain.