This ruined round tower stands dramatically near the top of a steep east-facing slope at the northern edge of Drumcliff graveyard, about 10 meters north of the medieval church. The tower tells a story of both impressive medieval engineering and centuries of weathering and decay.
The circular structure measures 4.88 meters across at its base, with interior walls creating a space 2.44 meters in diameter. What makes this tower particularly striking is its uneven survival—the north side still reaches 11 meters high, while the south side has crumbled to just 3 meters, where the remaining wall is 1.14 meters thick.

The builders used a mix of construction materials: coursed limestone blocks that were roughly squared and dressed, interspersed with large irregular boulders and smaller stones. The stonework becomes more regular and precise above the first meter of height. Like many medieval towers, this one has a mortared rubble core between the inner and outer stone faces.

Today, the interior is filled with earth up to the level of the surviving south wall, but clear evidence remains of the tower’s original multi-story structure. Stone offsets marking the first, second, and third floors are still visible on the interior walls, along with two pairs of decorative corbels—one at first-floor level and another at the second floor.

Historical records from 1808 describe features that have since been lost to time. A first-floor doorway sat 6 meters above ground level and was noted for its decorative molding. Three windows once pierced the walls, including one facing west that sat 7.3 meters above ground. A 19th-century drawing held by the Royal Irish Academy shows this western window had a square head—a detail now lost as that section of wall has collapsed.

The tower’s dramatic setting on the steep slope, combined with its partially ruined state, creates one of the most visually striking round tower sites in Ireland.