When nineteenth century builders set about altering the castle, their correspondence noted discovering the remains of an earlier castle on the site, suggesting this spot has been defended for centuries. The discovery of two cannon shot during excavations prior to rebuilding work offers a tantalising glimpse into the site’s military past, though the exact nature of any siege or conflict remains a mystery.

The castle as it stands today is largely the product of various rebuilding campaigns, with the most significant alterations taking place in the nineteenth century. These Victorian improvers weren’t simply adding drawing rooms and modernising the plumbing; they were building atop layers of history, quite literally incorporating the bones of the old castle into their new design. The recovered cannonballs, now silent witnesses to some forgotten skirmish, remind us that this peaceful corner of County Dublin once echoed with rather more violent sounds.

While the exact origins of the original castle remain unclear, its location makes strategic sense. Positioned with views across the surrounding landscape and within sight of the ancient Kiltuc Church, it would have commanded an important position in the medieval landscape of south County Dublin. Today’s visitors might struggle to imagine the site as a military stronghold, but those two iron spheres tell a different story; one of conflict, defence, and the endless cycle of destruction and renewal that characterises so many Irish castles.