Built by the de Staunton family between 1238 and 1300, this three-storey tower remained in their possession until the late 16th century. The castle’s evolution is written in its stones; whilst the core structure dates to the 13th century, significant 15th-century additions transformed it with architectural features more typical of Irish tower houses, including a steep base batter that wasn’t bonded into the original walls.

The tower itself measures 8.2 metres north to south and 12.3 metres east to west internally, rising through three distinct levels. Enter through the small southern porch and you’ll find a compact guardroom to the east, whilst the main ground floor chamber has been divided into two vaulted rooms by a later wall running east to west. A straight staircase climbs towards the eastern wall before turning west, following the dividing wall to emerge at the centre of the first floor. This level, now sporting a concrete platform following conservation work by the Office of Public Works, benefits from large windows piercing the north, south and western walls. Through a narrow eastern doorway, a small extension houses both a garderobe and mural stairs ascending to the second floor, where additional mural staircases in the northern, eastern and western walls provide access to what remains of the wall-walk above.

The castle sits within a strongly fortified bawn featuring a batter and one rounded corner turret, with a later rectangular building occupying the southwestern corner. To the north, a promontory wall incorporates a gate tower that may date from the castle’s earliest construction phase. Now designated as National Monument No. 222 under State care, Castlecarra offers visitors a chance to explore how medieval defensive architecture evolved over three centuries, from its origins as a de Staunton stronghold to its later modifications that reflect changing military needs and architectural fashions in late medieval Ireland.