Originally held by McHubert, chief of his sept, in 1574, the tower passed to the Burkes and was rebuilt around 1670 by MacRedmond Burke. Now a National Monument, this rectangular tower measures 13.7 metres north to south and approximately 11 metres east to west, occupying the southern corner of what was once a rectangular bawn.

The castle’s original entrance on the east wall remains beautifully intact, complete with its hanging eye still in place on the south side. This doorway, designed with two orders and a gap for a portcullis, leads into a small lobby overlooked by a murder hole; a defensive feature that allowed defenders to attack intruders from above. The ground floor chamber features four cross-loops for defence, set in deeply splayed embrasures where you can still see remnants of the original wicker-centring used in construction. An intriguing architectural quirk appears in the north wall, where a double arch features a central pier that mysteriously stops short of the floor level.

The upper floors reveal the castle’s evolution through time, particularly the first floor where rectangular two-light windows suggest early 17th-century modifications. The second floor showcases elegant panels of arcading along the north and south walls, lit by tall windows of varying designs. A fireplace bearing a Latin inscription, the letters W.H., and the date 1604 provides a precise timestamp for one phase of renovation. The room also contains a brick-lined oven tucked into the west wall and various other domestic features. Though time has taken its toll on the intramural stairs leading to the roof, the castle’s defensive elements remain impressive; the parapets are complete with small corner turrets, and a machicolation positioned above the main entrance would have allowed defenders to drop objects on unwelcome visitors below.