The current structure, a late 19th century remodelling of an 18th century farmhouse, likely sits on the foundations of a much older castle. This kind of architectural evolution is common throughout Ireland, where practical considerations often meant that old strongholds were repurposed rather than abandoned.

The most intriguing piece of evidence for the site’s ancient origins is a carved keystone bearing the O’Brien coat of arms and dated 1578. Rather than being lost to history, this Renaissance-era artefact has found a second life built into the gable of a two-storey storage building just outside the main entrance to the yard. The O’Briens were one of medieval Ireland’s most powerful dynasties, descended from Brian Boru himself, and their presence here speaks to the strategic importance of this location in Tudor times.

This information comes from the meticulous work of local historians Risteárd Ua Cróinín and Martin Breen, whose unpublished report on Clare’s castles and tower houses was compiled by Paul Walsh and made available in December 2014. Their research helps piece together the complex puzzle of Ireland’s built heritage, where modern farms and houses often conceal medieval foundations, and where fragments of the past; like that O’Brien keystone; continue to tell their stories to those who know where to look.