What is recorded here

Cloonbigny is a bawn in County Roscommon where a tower house still holds the south angle of a rectangular enclosure. The north angle preserves a circular mural tower, while gateway and building foundations mark the walls that once contained daily life. A later rectangular structure pierced the southeast boundary, forcing its maker to cut a new entrance through an old line. The stones repeat a simple human argument: keep what matters inside, admit what must enter, and adjust the boundary when life outgrows it.

On a slight rise in a low-lying landscape with lower ground to the E and S. Cloonbigny tower house (RO050-019001-) is at the S angle of a bawn (int. dims 31m NE-SW; 28m NW-SE) defined by wall foundations (Wth 0.9m) and a stone spread (Wth c. 2m; H 0.3m). A cairn at the N angle of the bawn is the remains of a circular mural tower (RO050-019004-), and there are the foundations of a gateway (RO050-019005-) straddling the centre of the NW wall. The foundations of a building (RO050-019006-) are inside the NE bawn wall and another building (RO050-019007-) is inside the SW bawn wall. A rectangular structure (RO050-019008-) NE of the house (RO050-019002-) and outside the original SE wall of the bawn is later than both, but it has an entrance (Wth 1.15m) into the bawn where it abuts the house. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

Cloonbigny tower house was likely built by a local Gaelic family in the 15th or 16th century. It is remembered as an example of a defended tower house in a strategic landscape, reflecting the defensive needs of the period.

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