The castle’s strategic position was remarkable; in its heyday, it sat almost entirely surrounded by water on three sides, with only a boggy approach from the north preventing complete isolation. Though much of the surrounding land and water has since been reclaimed, the hilltop location still hints at its former dominance over the landscape.

The castle’s turbulent history began in earnest when it was granted to Sir John O’Doherty in 1587. By 1601, it had evolved into an impressive stronghold, described as the chief seat of the O’Doherty clan, complete with thick ramparts, two casemates, and five pieces of artillery. The fortification changed hands repeatedly during the early 17th century; English forces occupied it from 1601 to 1602, it was returned to Cahir O’Doherty upon the restoration of peace, and then captured again in 1608 following his revolt. The subsequent Plantation period saw the estate leased to Thomas Chichester, who by 1611 had rebuilt the castle, erected a substantial stone house within the bawn, and constructed two timber houses outside its walls.

Today, visitors can still trace elements of this once formidable fortress, though centuries of neglect and deliberate demolition have taken their toll. The castle was roofless by 1833, and many windows were destroyed around 1890. The defensive fosse that once surrounded the hilltop, described as being of ‘extraordinary dimensions’ in the 1830s, has been almost entirely ploughed out, surviving only as a slight depression. A small section of bank incorporated into modern field walls to the southwest of the keep may be all that remains of the original enclosing rampart, a modest reminder of what was once one of Ulster’s most strategically important castles.