Built sometime in the late 15th or early 16th century, Drummin Castle is a typical example of the fortified residences that dotted the Irish countryside during this turbulent period. The castle consists of a rectangular tower that rises four storeys high, with thick limestone walls designed to withstand both the Atlantic weather and potential attackers.

The castle’s history is intertwined with the O’Brien clan, who held sway over much of County Clare for centuries. Local records suggest the tower house served as both a defensive stronghold and a symbol of the family’s status in the region. The structure features the characteristic elements of Irish tower houses: narrow windows on the lower levels for defence, larger openings on the upper floors for light and comfort, and a vaulted ceiling over the ground floor that provided both strength and protection from fire.

Today, Drummin Castle stands as a roofless but remarkably intact ruin, its grey stone walls rising dramatically from the surrounding pastoral landscape. Visitors can still make out the spiral staircase built into the thickness of the walls, the remains of fireplaces that once warmed the chambers, and the corbels that supported wooden floors long since rotted away. The castle offers a tangible connection to Ireland’s medieval past, when local chieftains ruled their territories from these imposing stone towers, balancing the demands of warfare, politics, and daily life within their sturdy walls.