Built sometime in the 15th or early 16th century, this tower house served as both a defensive stronghold and a symbol of local authority during a turbulent period in Irish history. The castle’s location, overlooking the surrounding countryside between Raruddy East and Raruddy West, would have provided its inhabitants with commanding views of approaching visitors, whether friend or foe.

The castle itself follows the typical Irish tower house design of the period; a vertical stone fortress built for defence rather than comfort. These structures proliferated across Ireland between 1400 and 1650, when local lords needed fortified residences that could withstand raids whilst also serving as centres of administration for their estates. Raruddy Castle would have originally stood several storeys high, with thick walls containing chambers for living quarters, storage, and defence. The narrow windows, designed to allow defenders to fire arrows whilst remaining protected, can still be traced in the remaining stonework.

Today, the castle stands as a romantic ruin, its weathered stones bearing witness to centuries of Galway’s complex history. Though time and the elements have reduced it from its former height, the remaining structure offers visitors a tangible connection to Ireland’s medieval past. The castle’s proximity to both Raruddy East and Raruddy West suggests it once served as a focal point for the wider community, perhaps controlling an important route or overseeing agricultural lands that sustained the local population during the late medieval period.