Built during the late medieval period, likely in the 15th or 16th century, it served as a stronghold for local Gaelic lords during a time when tower houses dotted the Irish countryside. These fortified residences were symbols of power and wealth, designed to protect families and their assets whilst projecting authority over the surrounding lands.

The castle’s strategic location in north Mayo placed it within the territory historically controlled by prominent Gaelic families, including the O’Dowds and later the Bourkes. Like many Irish tower houses, it would have consisted of multiple floors; the ground level typically housed storage and sometimes livestock, whilst the upper floors contained living quarters for the family, complete with fireplaces, narrow windows, and defensive features such as murder holes and battlements. The thick limestone walls, often several feet wide, provided both security and insulation against the harsh Atlantic weather that sweeps across this part of Mayo.

Today, the castle stands as a romantic ruin, its remaining walls bearing witness to centuries of Irish history. The structure survived the Cromwellian conquest of the 1650s and subsequent centuries of neglect, though it likely fell into disuse during the 18th century when such fortifications became obsolete. Visitors can still observe architectural details such as the remains of window openings, spiral staircases carved into the walls, and traces of the vaulted ceilings that once divided the floors. The site offers a tangible connection to Ireland’s turbulent past, when local chieftains ruled their territories from these imposing stone towers, navigating the complex politics of Gaelic Ireland and later, English colonisation.