Ballynakill Castle, Co. Tipperary

Ballynakill Castle, County Tipperary, in September 1987.
A enormous rectangular bawn, enclosing a tower house and the remains of a later house, creating a H shaped structure.

The buildings are dwarfed by the size of the bawn surrounding them. 
Fear of attack appears to have been from the north, as it is in the north corner of the bawn where most of the mural shot holes are found. 
Both the fortified house and adjoining tower houses were in poor condition. 
The large tower house was converted at a later date and incorporated into the house. It had base batter on 4 corners, an unusual box machiolation over the entrance door. The stone spiral stairs was gone, the guardroom beside the door remained. Some filled in single mullioned windows and remains of loops. 
A dramatic site.