The tower house, built by the O’Learys sometime after the 1570s, stood here for nearly four centuries before meeting an undignified end in 1968, when the landowner decided to blow it up. What remains today is a sprawling heap of stones measuring roughly 16 metres east to west and 12 metres north to south, with only fragments of the north wall and part of a circular stairwell, apparently from the northeast corner, still recognisable amongst the debris.

Historical records paint a picture of the castle’s gradual decline. A sketch from 1832 reveals that the structure had already suffered considerable damage by then, showing massive breaches in the north, south and east walls; evidence of deliberate slighting rather than natural decay. By the early 20th century, the tower house still retained some of its distinctive features. A 1913 sketch and 1930 photograph captured a squat, three-storey rectangular tower with narrow slit windows, a gable topped with a chimney stack on one end wall, and traces of corner bartizans halfway up opposite corners; all classic hallmarks of an Irish tower house.

The castle’s position on its rocky outcrop would have given its inhabitants views across the surrounding countryside, particularly towards the northeast where no higher ground blocked the vista. Today, visitors searching for the site will find little more than scattered stones in rough pasture, with perhaps a window opening still visible amongst the rubble if they look carefully. It’s a rather melancholy reminder of how quickly centuries of history can be reduced to a footnote and a pile of stones when preservation isn’t prioritised.