When surveyed in 1622, the castle was already described as ruinous, measuring 30 feet in length and 20 feet in breadth, stripped of its floors and roof. It stood within an old limestone bawn; a defensive wall that formed a square enclosure roughly 60 feet on each side and 8 feet high, typical of the fortified homesteads that dotted the Irish landscape during turbulent times.

The strategic importance of this location overlooking Killybegs harbour ensured the site remained militarily significant even after the castle fell into disrepair. In the early 18th century, the East India Company recognised its defensive potential and established a battery here to guard the harbour approaches, as noted by Bishop Richard Pococke during his travels in 1752. This adaptation speaks to Killybegs’ growing importance as a maritime centre during the colonial period.

By 1848, little remained visible of the once proud stronghold beyond foundation courses scattered amongst debris, yet the castle’s story didn’t end with its physical destruction. Local tradition maintains that stones from the ruins were repurposed around 1763 for the construction of the local Catholic church, a common practice that saw ancient fortifications transformed into places of worship. Today, whilst the OS maps still mark this spot as Castle Point, visitors will find only subtle earthworks and the ghosts of foundations to hint at the medieval power that once commanded this harbour view.