Built sometime in the late medieval period, likely during the 15th or 16th century, this tower house would have served as both a defensive stronghold and a residence for a local landowning family. The structure follows the typical design of Irish tower houses of the era; a rectangular stone building rising several storeys high, with thick walls designed to withstand attack whilst providing living quarters above ground level.

The castle’s strategic position in Bealnalicka would have given its inhabitants control over the surrounding agricultural lands and any nearby routes. Like many similar fortifications across Clare, it was probably constructed during a period of considerable unrest, when local chieftains and Anglo-Norman families vied for territorial control. The tower house design became particularly popular in Ireland between the 14th and 17th centuries, offering a practical solution that combined defensive capabilities with domestic accommodation in a single, compact structure.

Today, what remains of Bealnalicka Castle offers visitors a glimpse into this turbulent period of Irish history. Though time and weather have taken their toll on the structure, the surviving stonework still demonstrates the skill of medieval builders who created these enduring monuments. The castle joins hundreds of similar ruins scattered across the Irish countryside, each one marking a point where local power was once concentrated and defended, forming part of the complex tapestry of Ireland’s feudal past.