Ballydoyle Castle, County Tipperary, in May 1988.
This is a very good example of how sites for Irish tower houses were chosen.
They were inhabited by middle ranking gentry, both of Irish and Anglo-Norman descent, who built them on the best available and most productive farm lands. They are rarely found on high land or on poor land.
Generally, they were not sited for defensive purposes, despite having fortified features. The latter were probably more designed to deal with localised raiding parties.
Ballydoyle is an excellent example, as it is situated in the middle of, what is now one of the leading training grounds for racehorses, anywhere in the world. Top class pastures.
On a slightly elevated rise, it is surrounded by prime limestone farmlands.
It had some shot holes.
