Built sometime in the late medieval period, this tower house represents one of the many fortified residences that once dotted the Irish landscape. The castle’s island location wasn’t chosen by chance; it provided natural defences and controlled water routes along this important stretch of the Shannon system. The structure itself follows the typical tower house design of the period, with thick limestone walls rising several storeys above the lough’s surface.

The castle’s history is tied to the O’Brien and MacNamara families, who held sway over much of Clare during the medieval period. Like many Irish tower houses, Inchicronan likely served multiple purposes: defensive stronghold, status symbol, and comfortable residence for the local lords. The building would have contained living quarters on the upper floors, with storage and possibly livestock housed at ground level. Archaeological surveys have noted features typical of 15th and 16th century construction, including narrow window loops, a murder hole above the entrance, and the remnants of what may have been a bawn wall enclosing a small courtyard.

Today, Inchicronan Castle remains relatively intact, though centuries of weather and neglect have taken their toll. The island setting that once provided protection now limits access, making it one of Clare’s more overlooked historic sites. Visitors who do make the journey by boat can still see the corbelled stonework, the spiral staircase within the walls, and traces of the domestic arrangements that once made this remote fortress a home. The castle serves as a tangible reminder of a time when control of Lough Derg’s waters meant power, wealth, and survival in medieval Ireland.