Built sometime in the 16th century, this tower house served as a stronghold for local Gaelic families during an era when such fortified homes were essential for survival. The castle’s name derives from the Irish “Tobar Bhreacáin”, meaning “Brackan’s Well”, suggesting the site held significance long before stone was laid upon stone.

Like many Irish tower houses, Toberbrackan Castle was constructed with defence in mind; its thick limestone walls, narrow windows, and strategic position all speak to the uncertain times in which it was built. The structure originally stood four storeys tall, with each floor serving a distinct purpose: storage and livestock on the ground level, living quarters above, and private chambers for the lord’s family on the upper floors. A spiral staircase, now partially collapsed, once connected these levels, winding clockwise to give defending swordsmen the advantage of a free right hand.

Today, the castle stands roofless and weathered, its walls slowly being reclaimed by ivy and wild grasses. Despite its ruined state, visitors can still make out the murder hole above the entrance, the remnants of window seats where residents once watched over their lands, and the corbels that supported wooden floors long since rotted away. The site remains freely accessible to those willing to navigate the country lanes of rural Galway, offering a tangible connection to the generations who once called this fortress home.