Where once stood an extensive castle built by the O’Grady family, a Georgian house rose in its place, quite literally incorporating the medieval stonework into its foundations and walls. By 1837, this curious architectural hybrid still preserved four rooms from the original castle within the newer dwelling, creating an unusual blend of defensive medieval architecture and Georgian domestic comfort.

The transformation wasn’t merely cosmetic; it represented a shift in how Ireland’s landed families viewed their ancestral seats. Rather than abandon their old strongholds entirely, families like the O’Gradys chose to adapt them, weaving ancient stones into modern designs. Lewis’s 1837 description paints a picture of a house where past and present coexisted, with castle chambers serving alongside Georgian drawing rooms, though by 1944, archaeologist O’Kelly could find no visible trace of the original fortification.

The story took its final turn in the late 1960s when Kilballyowen House was demolished entirely, erasing both the Georgian mansion and the last physical links to the O’Grady castle. Today, the site stands as a reminder of how Ireland’s built heritage has been continuously reimagined, rebuilt, and sometimes lost entirely. The compilation of these historical fragments by Caimin O’Brien in 2019 ensures that whilst the stones may be gone, the memory of this remarkable architectural palimpsest endures.