The medieval tower house, once owned by John Power, Baron Curraghmore in 1640, formed the foundation for what would become one of Ireland’s most significant historic houses. By 1654, the property had passed to the le Poer family of Curraghmore, who would transform it over the following centuries.

Around 1700, the original tower house underwent its first major expansion when a new house was constructed around a courtyard, incorporating the medieval structure into its northeast corner. The most remarkable features from this period include the Entrance Hall at ground level and the Billiard Room on the first floor, where the Lafranchini brothers, renowned Italian stuccadores, created some of Ireland’s finest decorative interiors. Their elaborate stucco work, particularly the coved ceiling in the Billiard Room, represents a masterpiece of baroque craftsmanship laid directly onto the medieval core of the building.

Further developments came in the 1750s or 1760s with the addition of a forecourt and stables to the northeast, followed by refurbishments in the 1780s and a re-facing of the building in the mid-19th century. Despite these successive layers of change, original medieval features such as the mural stairs remain intact within the later house. Now owned by the Marquis of Waterford, Curraghmore preserves this remarkable blend of medieval fortification and Georgian elegance, offering a tangible connection to over 500 years of Irish architectural history.