Built during the 15th or 16th century, the structure represents the typical tower house design favoured by Gaelic and Anglo-Norman families during this period. These fortified residences were as much about defence as they were about displaying wealth and status, with their thick limestone walls and narrow windows designed to withstand both siege and the harsh Atlantic weather.

The castle’s strategic location in North Ardrahan would have given its inhabitants control over the surrounding agricultural lands and nearby routes. Like many Irish tower houses, it likely consisted of several storeys; the ground floor served as storage, whilst the upper levels contained the main hall and private chambers. The structure would have been surrounded by a bawn, a defensive courtyard wall that protected livestock and provided additional security during raids, though little evidence of this outer fortification remains today.

Following centuries of conflict, plantation policies, and changing ownership, the castle fell into disrepair like so many of Ireland’s medieval strongholds. Today, its weathered stones and empty windows offer visitors a glimpse into a time when such towers dotted the Irish landscape, each one a centre of local power and a refuge in an uncertain world. The ruins serve as a reminder of the complex web of alliances, feuds, and survival that characterised life in medieval Galway.