Granahan More, Granaghan More, Co. Clare
Standing in the townland of Granahan More in County Clare, this tower house represents a typical example of late medieval Irish defensive architecture.
Granahan More, Granaghan More, Co. Clare
The structure likely dates from the 15th or 16th century, when such fortified residences were being built across Ireland by both Gaelic and Anglo-Norman families. Though now ruinous, the remains offer valuable insights into how these buildings functioned as both homes and strongholds during a turbulent period of Irish history.
The tower house follows the standard rectangular plan common to such structures, originally rising several storeys with thick limestone walls designed to withstand attack. Archaeological evidence suggests it once featured the characteristic defensive elements of its type: narrow windows on lower levels, a murder hole above the entrance, and bartizans or corner turrets at roof level. The ground floor would have served as storage, whilst the upper floors contained the main living quarters, including a hall for entertaining and private chambers for the family. A spiral staircase, traces of which remain visible, connected the various levels.
Historical records remain frustratingly silent about the tower’s original builders and occupants, though its location suggests it may have been associated with one of the local Gaelic septs who controlled this region before the Cromwellian conquest. Like many such structures, it probably fell into disuse during the 17th century when changing military technology and more settled conditions made tower houses obsolete. Today, the ivy-covered ruins serve as a reminder of an era when every landowner of substance needed to fortify their home against raids and local feuds, creating these distinctive stone sentinels that still punctuate the Irish landscape.