Historical records show the tower house was already standing in 1574, when it belonged to Walter Wall, offering a glimpse into the long history of this now crumbling fortification. Today, only fragments of the structure remain; the south wall stretches nearly 8 metres internally and rises to about 2.5 metres, whilst portions of the east and west walls still cling to their original form, though the north wall has vanished entirely into the landscape.

The surviving walls reveal the building techniques of medieval Irish tower houses, constructed from roughly cut rectangular limestone blocks laid in regular courses and bound with mortar. Time hasn’t been kind to Drought Castle; the external faces have collapsed in places, exposing the rubble core that once gave these walls their strength. You can still spot traces of internal render clinging to the stonework, and a blocked aperture in the south wall hints at what might have been a doorway or window. The walls vary in thickness, with the east wall measuring about 1.55 metres thick, testament to the defensive nature of these structures.

Later additions tell their own story of the site’s continued use after the tower house fell into disrepair. A stone wall extends south from the southwest corner, whilst a small rectangular structure, measuring roughly 4.5 by 2 metres, was built against the western wall’s southern end. Piles of rubble against various sections of the walls suggest ongoing collapse or perhaps deliberate dismantling over the centuries. Despite its ruinous state, Drought Castle remains an evocative reminder of the tower houses that once dotted the Irish countryside, serving as both home and fortress to the landed families of medieval Ireland.