Records from 1574 show it was occupied by one Donell Oge Ohologhan, giving us a glimpse into its early history. When Ordnance Survey officials documented the site in the 19th century, they found an impressive structure still standing; a castle with walls four feet thick and rising to an extraordinary height of 54 feet, with an interior breadth of 25 feet. They also noted extensive ruins of other buildings attached to it, which they believed were later additions constructed by the Burke family after the castle’s original erection.

Today, visitors to Ceathrú An Bhrúnaigh will find a rather different scene. The castle that once dominated this bogland frontier met its end in the late 19th century when it finally collapsed, its stones subsequently recycled for other building projects in the area. What remains are the ruins of a later house that was built on the site, a mere echo of the fortified tower that once stood here.

The transformation of this site from medieval stronghold to salvaged building material tells a familiar story across Ireland’s landscape. The Curragh’s boggy expanse, which once provided natural defence for the castle, continues to preserve the memory of this lost fortress, even as physical evidence has all but vanished into the surrounding countryside.