The fortress was likely built by the Fitzgeralds, one of the powerful Norman families who dominated much of medieval Ireland, though the exact date of its construction remains unknown. Today, not a single stone remains visible above ground at the original site near Crosshaven, leaving only historical records and one remarkable architectural fragment to tell its story.

The sole surviving piece of this lost castle is a carved window fragment that speaks to the building’s former elegance. This remnant consists of one side of a cusped ogee-headed window light, featuring a delicate trefoil design set within a recessed spandrel; architectural details that suggest it dates from the 15th century. The ogee arch, with its distinctive S-shaped curve, was a popular decorative element in late medieval Irish architecture, particularly in ecclesiastical and high-status secular buildings. This style indicates the castle was more than just a defensive structure; it was also a residence designed to display the wealth and sophistication of its owners.

The window fragment is now in private hands, preserved as a tangible link to Cork’s medieval past. Its survival, whilst the rest of the castle has disappeared entirely, serves as a reminder of how much of Ireland’s built heritage has been lost over the centuries through abandonment, conflict, and the recycling of stone for other construction projects. The site itself, recorded in the Archaeological Inventory of County Cork, remains archaeologically significant even without visible remains, as subsurface features and foundations may still exist beneath the ground, waiting to reveal more about this forgotten Fitzgerald stronghold.