Whilst the castle itself has vanished from the landscape, a solitary tower still stands as testament to what once was. This tower, marked on the 1842 Ordnance Survey six-inch map just west of where the castle once stood, features a distinctive battered base on its north face; a defensive architectural element common in medieval fortifications. The tower’s survival, when all else has been lost, makes it a poignant reminder of the area’s strategic importance.

Historical records identify Aghadown as an O’Driscoll stronghold, though frustratingly little documentation survives about its specific history or the circumstances of its destruction. The O’Driscolls were a powerful maritime clan who controlled much of the southwest Cork coastline during the medieval period, building a network of castles to protect their territories and lucrative trading routes. Their influence extended across the region’s numerous harbours and inlets, making them key players in both legitimate commerce and the occasional bit of piracy.

Today, visitors to the site need a keen eye and some imagination to appreciate what once stood here. The surviving tower offers the most tangible connection to the past, its weathered stones having witnessed centuries of Cork’s history. Archaeological surveys conducted in the early 1990s confirmed the absence of any other visible castle remains, though the site’s elevated position still offers commanding views across the surrounding countryside, explaining why it was chosen for fortification all those centuries ago.