Built sometime in the 15th or 16th century, the castle served as a fortress for local chieftains who controlled this stretch of the western coastline. The structure likely consisted of a tower house, a common defensive dwelling of the period, surrounded by a bawn wall that would have enclosed outbuildings and provided protection for livestock during raids.

Historical records suggest the castle was occupied by the O’Brien clan, who held sway over much of County Clare during the medieval period. The fortress would have played a crucial role in controlling maritime traffic along the coast and defending against both rival clans and foreign raiders. By the 17th century, however, the castle had fallen into disuse, likely abandoned during the upheavals of the Cromwellian conquest when many such fortifications were deliberately destroyed or left to decay.

Today, visitors to the site will find only scattered stones and the faint outline of foundations, barely visible amongst the grass and wildflowers. The location itself, however, remains spectacular; the same commanding views that made it attractive to medieval builders now offer walkers panoramic vistas across Kilkee Bay and out to the wild Atlantic. Local historians continue to debate the castle’s exact layout and significance, though archaeological surveys have yet to be conducted that might reveal more about this enigmatic coastal fortress.