The castle first appears in written records in 1598, when Gerald Wesley of Dangan leased what was described as ‘the castle or principal house in Garris’ to Thomas Aish of Trym. By 1640, the property had passed to Vallerian Weisly of Dangan, who owned 354 acres in Gallow parish, with the castle serving as the centrepiece of his holdings, as documented in the Civil Survey of 1654-6.

Today, only fragments of this once-imposing structure remain; visitors can see part of the circular north tower along with remnants of stairs and window openings, plus a portion of the northeast wall. The castle originally stood three storeys tall, as evidenced by the two-light windows that punctuate the northeast wall, with those on the ground and first floors still showing their square hood-mouldings. Notably absent is any sign of vaulting, suggesting the castle may have had timber floors throughout.

Perhaps the most intriguing survivor from the castle is a carved stone crest, measuring roughly 40cm by 30cm, which now resides in a nearby garden. Carved in false relief, it displays three gorgets or crescents with a horizontal bar, most likely representing the arms of the Dillon family. Above the heraldic design, a dove clutching an olive branch is surrounded by a ribbon bearing the Latin inscription ‘Beati Pacilis’, which translates roughly as ‘blessings of peace’; a rather poignant sentiment for a structure that witnessed so much of Ireland’s turbulent past.