Unlike the typical rectangular or square design of most tower houses, this fortified residence boasts a distinctive circular plan that sets it apart from its contemporaries. Built by the O’Brien clan, who dominated much of County Clare during the medieval period, the castle served as both a defensive stronghold and a symbol of their political power in the region.

The tower rises four storeys high, with walls nearly two metres thick at the base, tapering as they ascend. Each floor originally served a different purpose; the ground level housed storage and livestock, whilst the upper chambers provided living quarters for the family and their retainers. The castle’s most intriguing feature is its pyramidal roof, added during a 19th-century restoration that gives it an almost fairytale appearance. Murder holes above the entrance and narrow arrow loops throughout the walls remind visitors that despite its later romantic additions, this was very much a building designed for turbulent times.

After centuries of occupation and abandonment, Newtown Castle found new life in 1994 when it was restored and opened to the public. Today, visitors can climb the narrow spiral staircase to explore each level of the tower, discovering how these vertical fortresses functioned as self-contained communities. The castle also houses exhibitions on local history and the broader story of tower houses across Ireland, offering insights into how these distinctive structures shaped the Irish landscape during a period of constant territorial conflict and shifting alliances.