Built sometime in the 13th or 14th century, this fortification likely served as a stronghold for one of the Norman families who established themselves in Connacht following the initial conquest. The castle’s strategic position near Seafield would have provided control over local routes and agricultural lands, whilst offering defensive advantages typical of medieval military architecture.

The structure itself follows the pattern of many Irish tower houses from this period, though time and weather have reduced it to a partial ruin. What remains visible today includes sections of the main tower walls, built from local limestone, along with traces of the bawn wall that would have enclosed the castle grounds. Archaeological evidence suggests the site may have been occupied well into the 17th century, with modifications made over the centuries to accommodate changing defensive needs and domestic arrangements.

Local tradition associates the castle with various noble families who held sway in this part of Galway, though documentary evidence remains fragmentary. The site’s abandonment likely coincided with the upheavals of the Cromwellian period or the subsequent Williamite wars, when many such fortifications throughout Ireland fell into disuse. Today, the ruins at Kilcaimin offer visitors a glimpse into the layered history of medieval Galway; a county where Gaelic and Norman cultures intertwined to create a distinct heritage that shaped the region for centuries.