Built sometime in the late medieval period, likely during the 15th or 16th century, this castle served as both a defensive stronghold and a symbol of local authority. Like many Irish tower houses of its era, it would have been home to a Gaelic or Anglo-Norman family of some standing; landowners who needed to protect their holdings whilst maintaining their status in a society where cattle raids and territorial disputes were commonplace.

The castle’s architecture follows the typical pattern of Irish tower houses, with thick stone walls designed to withstand siege and assault. These structures were essentially fortified homes, combining residential quarters with defensive features such as narrow windows, murder holes, and battlements. The ground floor would have served as storage for provisions and possibly housed livestock during raids, whilst the upper floors contained the main living quarters, including a great hall for entertaining and conducting business.

Today, the castle at Leitrim More stands as a silent witness to centuries of Irish history. From the turbulent medieval period through the Cromwellian conquest and beyond, these walls have endured whilst the families who built them have long since departed. The surrounding landscape, once dotted with similar fortifications, now holds only scattered remnants of this martial past, making surviving examples like this one valuable touchstones for understanding how people lived, fought, and maintained power in medieval Galway.