The tower house, though now ruinous, originally rose four storeys high with its entrance positioned at ground level on the eastern side. The structure measures approximately 9.5 metres north to south and 7.5 metres east to west, with walls reaching up to 1.5 metres thick at the base. What remains today shows evidence of careful construction, including a murder hole above the entrance doorway and the remnants of a spiral staircase in the south-eastern corner that once provided access to the upper floors.

The castle’s defensive features reveal the concerns of its builders; narrow loops pierce the walls at various levels, whilst the ground floor appears to have served as storage, lacking any fireplace or domestic comforts. The first floor, however, shows signs of more comfortable accommodation, with evidence of a fireplace in the western wall and what may have been window seats in the embrasures. Archaeological surveys have noted that the structure sits within what appears to be a larger bawn or courtyard, though little trace of any outbuildings or defensive walls remains visible today.

Historical records remain frustratingly silent about Ballymarkahan Castle’s original owners or its role in local conflicts, though its position and design suggest it served as a minor stronghold for a local family of some standing. The castle’s relatively small size indicates it was likely home to a lesser branch of a clan or a modest landowner rather than a major chieftain. Today, ivy cloaked walls and fallen masonry tell a quiet story of decline, yet the castle continues to mark the landscape as it has for centuries, a stubborn reminder of Clare’s turbulent medieval past.