The property originally belonged to Tintern Abbey, which held 60 acres here until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1541. Following the typical pattern of Tudor land redistribution, these former church lands were granted to Sir Anthony Colclough in 1566, marking the beginning of the Colclough family’s long association with Boley.

By 1641, Sir Caesar Colclough owned what was already described as a ruined castle alongside the original 60 acres, suggesting the tower house was built sometime in the late 16th or early 17th century. The antiquarian John O’Donovan left us precise measurements when he visited around 1840, recording a substantial tower measuring roughly 8.1 by 6.8 metres at its base and standing an impressive 16.75 metres high, with four storeys that would have provided both defence and comfortable living quarters for the Colclough family. A sketch by artist George Victor du Noyer from around 1850 captures the tower’s final years, showing intact crenellations crowning the narrow structure and remnants of a bawn wall with its pointed entrance arch still visible.

Sadly, the castle met its end around 1903 when it was demolished, leaving no visible traces above ground today. However, the landscape still whispers of its medieval past; immediately northeast of where the castle stood, you can find a circular moated site, likely predating the tower house and hinting at even earlier fortifications on this strategic slope. While the stones have vanished, the story of Boley Castle endures as a testament to the layers of Irish history, from monastic settlements through Tudor plantations to the eventual abandonment of these once-proud tower houses.