The castle ruins, which likely date from the late medieval period, occupy a strategic position that once commanded views across the surrounding countryside. Though time and weather have reduced the structure to fragments of stone walls and foundations, these remains still offer valuable insights into the defensive architecture and settlement patterns of medieval Clare.

The castle’s name, Bohneill, derives from the Irish ‘Both an Aoill’, meaning ‘the hut of the lime’ or ‘limestone hut’, which hints at either the building materials used in its construction or perhaps an earlier structure that occupied the site. Historical records suggest the castle was associated with local Gaelic families who controlled this part of Clare before the Norman invasions and subsequent English plantations. Like many Irish tower houses and castles, Bohneill likely served multiple purposes; it was simultaneously a defensive stronghold, a symbol of authority, and a residence for the local ruling family.

Today, visitors to the site will find little more than overgrown stone foundations and partial walls, with vegetation slowly reclaiming what remains of the structure. Despite its ruined state, the site holds archaeological significance as part of Clare’s extensive network of medieval fortifications. These castles, tower houses, and fortified dwellings tell the story of a turbulent period in Irish history, when control of land meant survival, and stone walls offered the best protection against both rivals and invaders. The Bohneill site, though modest compared to grander castles elsewhere in Ireland, represents the type of smaller fortification that dotted the Irish landscape, serving as local power centres for centuries.