This ivy-clad structure, built from roughly coursed rubble and limestone, stretches approximately 18 metres from east to west and 22 metres from north to south, with walls nearly three-quarters of a metre thick. Its distinctive L-shaped layout features projections at three corners, a defensive design choice that allowed occupants to cover blind spots and protect the building from multiple angles.

The castle’s Jacobean chimney stacks bear a striking resemblance to those at nearby Castle Cuffe, suggesting they were likely constructed around the same period and possibly by the same craftsmen. While local historian O’Hanlon attributed the castle’s construction to Colonel Dunne in 1680, archaeological evidence points to an earlier origin, placing it firmly in the early 1600s when such fortified houses were becoming increasingly popular amongst Ireland’s landed gentry. These buildings represented a transitional period in Irish architecture; they retained defensive features from earlier tower houses whilst incorporating more comfortable domestic arrangements suited to relatively peaceful times.

Today, the castle remains an evocative reminder of this turbulent period in Irish history, when the need for defence was balanced with a desire for more refined living spaces. Its substantial walls and strategic design speak to an era when even wealthy landowners couldn’t entirely abandon military considerations, yet its domestic features reveal changing attitudes towards comfort and privacy in the home.