The name Gortnalee itself, meaning ‘field of the calf’ in Irish, hints at the pastoral landscape that has long characterised this corner of Ireland. Though marked on both the 1841 and 1908 Ordnance Survey six-inch maps, today no visible traces remain above ground of what was once a substantial stone structure positioned strategically near the old road connecting Donnaghmore to Killismestia chapel.

When the antiquarian William Carrigan documented the castle in 1905, he found walls of distinctive green stone still standing to a height of four feet, though already in a ruinous state. The building’s footprint was relatively compact at 30 by 20 feet internally, yet its walls were impressively thick, measuring between four and five feet across; a defensive feature typical of Irish tower houses and small castles. This thickness suggests the structure was built to withstand both the elements and potential sieges, though its modest dimensions indicate it was likely a minor fortification rather than a major seat of power.

The castle’s proximity to a ringfort, catalogued as LA028-018002, suggests this location held strategic or symbolic importance across multiple periods of Irish history. The green stone used in its construction was likely sourced locally, as this type of stone is characteristic of certain geological formations in the region. By the time the Archaeological Inventory of County Laois was compiled in 1995, even the ruins Carrigan had observed ninety years earlier had vanished, leaving only historical records and old maps to mark where this small but sturdy castle once kept watch over Gortnalee.