Built by the O’Driscoll clan, the tower originally rose at least five storeys high, though only four remain today. The northern and western sides preserve remnants of a bawn enclosure; a defensive courtyard wall that once protected the tower, though these remains are heavily altered and in poor condition.

The tower’s defensive design becomes clear when examining its entrances and internal layout. Two doorways pierce the western wall, one at ground level and another on the first floor. The upper entrance leads to a murder hole, a mural chamber positioned above the ground floor doorway with a portcullis slit in its floor, allowing defenders to attack anyone attempting to force entry below. From this first floor entrance, mural stairs wind northward before spiralling up through the northwest corner to reach the second and third floors. These upper levels sit above a wickerwork-centred vault that covers an unlit first floor attic space.

The upper floors reveal both defensive features and domestic comforts typical of late medieval Irish tower houses. Windows on the second floor feature segmental vaults with built-in stone seats along their embrasures, whilst small fireplaces warm the southern walls of both the second and third floors. A mural chamber hidden within the western wall at third floor level provided additional space, and evidence suggests a second vault once spanned the third floor, though only the traces of its centering supports remain. The castle’s long history as an O’Driscoll stronghold came to an end following the Battle of Kinsale in 1601, when Crown forces seized the tower during their campaign against the Irish lords who had supported the Spanish invasion.