What remains today is merely a fragment of what was once a formidable tower house; only a section of the north wall, stretching about 5 metres in length and rising to roughly 9 metres in height, survives alongside a small portion of the adjoining east wall. The structure, built from roughly coursed rubble and mortar, features walls that measure 1.6 metres thick at the base, tapering slightly as they rise above the distinctive base batter. A solitary window opening, visible about 4 metres above ground level at the western end of the north wall, provides the only architectural detail beyond the sturdy stonework itself.

Historical records reveal that ‘Balledavy’ castle was already standing by 1574, when it belonged to the Abbey of Athenry. Though time has reduced the structure considerably, early 20th century documentation by a local historian named Lyons recorded the castle’s original dimensions as approximately 10 metres by 13.7 metres, measurements that align with the visible remains and a stony ridge marking where the west wall once stood. The tower house wasn’t built in isolation; it was strategically positioned in the northeast section of a raised rectangular platform measuring 22 metres north to south and 18 metres east to west, defined by a metre high scarp that’s still visible today.

The castle’s location speaks to the interconnected nature of medieval Irish settlements. Just 290 metres to the southwest lie the ruins of a medieval church, suggesting this area once formed part of a larger ecclesiastical or defensive complex. Today, visitors to this quiet corner of Galway can trace the outline of the platform through the grass covered earth and imagine the tower house as it once stood, a sentinel watching over the gently sloping landscape that falls away to the south, much as it has for nearly five centuries.