The platform was defined by a scarp that likely marked the boundary of an associated bawn, a fortified courtyard typical of Irish tower houses. While the castle itself is long gone, the site still bears traces of its defensive past, including a series of earthworks that may have been connected to the original fortification.

The walls you see today aren’t medieval remnants but rather modern reconstructions from the early 2000s. This contemporary structure spans approximately 39 metres east to west and 25 metres north to south, with angle towers positioned at the southeast and southwest corners. Within these walls, you’ll find a rectangular walled area in the southeast sector and a dividing wall in the southwest sector; both are modern additions that give visitors a sense of how the space might have been organised, though they don’t reflect the original castle’s internal layout.

Archaeological surveys have revealed that this site was more than just a standalone tower house. The earthworks surrounding the area suggest a more complex defensive arrangement, possibly including outbuildings or additional fortifications that would have made Ballinderry a formidable stronghold in its day. These features, documented by Alcock and colleagues in 1999, paint a picture of a substantial medieval settlement that controlled this part of Galway centuries ago.