Historical records suggest the castle was built sometime in the late medieval period, likely during the 15th or 16th century when such defensive structures were common throughout Clare. The castle would have served as both a residence and stronghold for a local landowning family, positioned to control the surrounding agricultural lands and monitor movement through this part of the county.

Archaeological surveys of the site have identified the outline of what appears to have been a rectangular tower house, typical of the period’s defensive architecture. These structures usually featured thick stone walls, narrow windows, and multiple storeys accessed by a spiral staircase. The ground floor would have been used for storage, whilst the upper levels contained living quarters for the family. Like many Irish castles of its type, Carrowduff likely had a bawn wall enclosing a courtyard where livestock could be protected during raids.

The castle’s demise probably came during the turbulent 17th century, when Cromwell’s forces systematically destroyed many Irish fortifications, or it may have been abandoned as more peaceful times made such defensive structures obsolete. Today, the site serves as a reminder of Clare’s medieval landscape, when hundreds of similar tower houses dotted the countryside, each controlling its own small territory. Local tradition and place names preserve the memory of the castle, even as nature gradually reclaims the stones that once formed its walls.