Today, visitors will find little more than a short stretch of stone walling; a featureless section running four metres east to west and two metres north to south, standing at a maximum height of 2.3 metres. This modest remnant is thought to be the southeastern corner of the original building, offering just a glimpse of what must have been a more substantial structure.

According to local memory, the castle met its demise during Hurricane Debbie, which swept through Ireland in September 1961. The storm, one of the most destructive to hit the country in the 20th century, brought winds exceeding 100 mph that toppled trees, damaged buildings, and in this case, brought down the already deteriorating walls of Garrafine Castle. The hurricane’s impact on Ireland’s built heritage was considerable, and this rural fortification was among its casualties.

Just beside the castle ruins lies a children’s burial ground, a poignant reminder of the area’s long history of human occupation. These informal cemeteries, found throughout Ireland, were typically used for unbaptised infants and sometimes for adults who couldn’t be buried in consecrated ground. The proximity of these two sites; the defensive castle and the burial ground; speaks to centuries of life, death, and community in this quiet corner of North Galway.