The castle, likely built in the late 15th or early 16th century, was once a formidable tower house that commanded views across the surrounding countryside. According to historical records from Risteárd Ua Cróinín and Martin Breen’s comprehensive survey of Clare’s castles, the structure originally consisted of a rectangular tower with thick limestone walls, typical of the defensive architecture favoured by Gaelic and Anglo-Norman families during this turbulent period.

The castle’s strategic location made it a coveted prize during the various conflicts that swept through Clare. It likely served as a stronghold for local chieftains before passing through multiple hands during the Cromwellian conquest and subsequent Williamite wars. The tower house would have originally stood at least four storeys high, with the ground floor used for storage and defence whilst the upper floors contained the lord’s hall and private chambers. Arrow slits and murder holes, common defensive features of the period, would have provided protection against attackers.

Today, visitors to Cragbrien will find only partial walls and foundations remaining; time, weather, and the removal of stones for local building projects have taken their toll on the structure. Despite its ruined state, the site offers a tangible connection to Ireland’s medieval past, when such tower houses dotted the landscape as symbols of local authority and centres of rural life. The castle ruins serve as a quiet monument to the complex web of alliances, betrayals, and power struggles that characterised medieval Clare.