The castle’s position is particularly intriguing; it marks the southern boundary of an ancient promontory fort, creating a fascinating timeline of defensive structures that spans well over a thousand years.

The site itself tells a story of continuous occupation and strategic importance. The promontory fort, with its natural defensive advantages, would have been an ideal location for early Irish settlers, whilst the later addition of the castle tower suggests the site retained its military significance well into the early modern period. The subterranean trenches nearby add another layer of mystery to the location; their exact purpose remains unclear, though they likely served defensive or storage functions connected to the various phases of occupation.

Today, visitors to Ballingarry Castle can explore not just a single monument, but an entire landscape of Irish history compressed into one dramatic location. The juxtaposition of the medieval tower against the much older earthworks of the promontory fort offers a unique opportunity to trace the evolution of Irish defensive architecture, from the Iron Age through to the turbulent 1600s when the castle was constructed.