Once likely a tower house with its accompanying bawn (a defensive wall surrounding an Irish tower house), the site now presents itself as a rectangular, grass-covered platform measuring 28 metres east to west and 17 metres north to south. The perimeter is marked by the remnants of a collapsed wall, roughly 2 metres wide, which varies in height from just 45 centimetres in most places to an impressive 2.25 metres along the southern edge.

The most substantial remains can be found at the northeast corner of the platform, where a mound of rubble indicates the probable location of the original tower house. Unfortunately, centuries of abandonment have taken their toll; no original wall facings or architectural details remain visible to help visitors imagine the castle’s former appearance. The entire structure has essentially returned to the landscape, covered in grass and slowly being reclaimed by nature.

Despite its ruined state, the site offers a tangible connection to medieval Ireland when such fortified homes were essential for survival. Tower houses like this one were typically built between the 15th and 17th centuries by Gaelic and Anglo-Norman families, serving as both defensive structures and symbols of status. The McClancy castle would have commanded excellent views across the surrounding terrain from its elevated position, allowing its inhabitants to monitor approaches and assert their control over the local area.