By 1640, what remained of this medieval fortification had already deteriorated to the point where it was dismissively referred to as ‘an old stump of a castle’. At that time, the ruins belonged to Garret Fitzgerald of nearby Dromana, one of the prominent Anglo-Norman families who had dominated the region since the medieval period.

The castle appears to have lingered on as a visible landmark well into the 19th century, with records confirming its presence as late as 1841. However, time and the elements have since completed what centuries of neglect had begun; today, not even foundation stones are visible at ground level to mark where this once imposing structure commanded its strategic position atop the rock outcrop.

The site serves as a reminder of how many of Ireland’s lesser castles have simply vanished from the landscape, leaving behind only documentary evidence and place names to hint at their former existence. While grander fortifications like Kilkenny or Cahir castles have been preserved and restored, countless smaller strongholds like Carrickahilla have been reclaimed entirely by the Irish countryside, their stones likely repurposed for field walls and local buildings over the generations.