Originally built by the de Burgo family, this four-storey fortified tower served as a defensive stronghold during turbulent times in Irish history. The castle’s thick limestone walls, narrow windows, and battlemented roof exemplify the typical architecture of Anglo-Norman tower houses that once dotted the Irish countryside, though few remain as well preserved as this one.

Yeats purchased the semi-ruined tower in 1917 for a mere £35, transforming it into his summer home and creative sanctuary for over a decade. Together with architect William Scott, he carefully restored the structure, adding a cottage extension whilst maintaining the tower’s medieval character. During his residency from 1919 to 1929, Yeats penned some of his most significant works here, including poems from his collection “The Tower” (1928), where he immortalised the building as a symbol of his connection to Ireland’s mystical landscape and turbulent history.

Today, visitors can explore the tower’s restored rooms, which include Yeats’s study on the second floor where he wrote by candlelight, and climb the narrow spiral staircase to the battlements for sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. The ground floor houses exhibitions detailing both the castle’s medieval origins and its literary renaissance under Yeats. A particularly touching feature is the inscription Yeats had carved on a stone near the entrance, declaring that he restored the tower for his wife George, “And may these characters remain when all is ruin once again”; a prophecy that nearly came true before the castle’s rescue and restoration in the 1960s.