The castle’s destruction came after its forfeiture, likely during the tumultuous period of rebellion and land confiscations that marked early 17th century Ireland. By the time surveyors visited the site in 1841, no trace of the castle remained, and today visitors to the area will find no visible remnants of what was once a significant fortification on the Dingle Peninsula.

The story of Ballingolin took a new turn in 1666 when Frederick Mullins purchased the confiscated property and gave it a fresh identity as ‘Burnham’. This acquisition marked the beginning of the Mullins family’s remarkable ascent to become the peninsula’s most substantial landowners. Their growing influence and wealth culminated in 1800 when they were elevated to the peerage, with the head of the family assuming the prestigious title of Lord Ventry.

The transformation from the Rice family’s Ballingolin Castle to the Mullins’ Burnham estate reflects the broader pattern of land ownership changes that reshaped Ireland during the 17th century. Whilst the physical structure has vanished entirely from the landscape, the site’s history offers a glimpse into how political upheaval, land confiscations, and the rise of new aristocratic families fundamentally altered the social fabric of rural Kerry.