Ballynahow Castle, County Tipperary
County Tiperrary is home of one of the few round tower houses of Ireland - Ballynahow Castle, which is still in surprisingly good condition. It is located north-west of Thurles, and was built by the Purcells in the 16th century to provide shelter to the local people against attacks from intruders. The five storied castle is 50 feet tall and possesses four evenly-spaced machicolations, two internal vaults covering two floors each, a mural staircase located on the left and a defensive walkway. Currently situated on private property, its ownership transferred to the government in 1930, and it was declared a national monument. It was duly repaired, with reinforcement rods being placed across the 5th floor to render structural support.
The most striking features of this castle are its narrow windows deeply seated in extremely thick walls, tiny rooms, nooks and crannies. The principal windows on all floors sport small musket holes, while a murder hole that was used to drop things at intruders is located on the first floor. Two fireplaces, on separate floors, and equal number of garderobes can also be seen in this tower. The lower floors were used in the 1840s as a cottage, even though, presently, only three floors remain, which has made the site inhabitable.
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