According to research by Risteárd Ua Cróinín and Martin Breen, this tower house likely dates from the late medieval period, when such fortified residences dotted the Irish landscape. The castle’s strategic position in Drumullan would have provided its occupants with defensive advantages whilst allowing them to oversee the surrounding lands and maintain control over local territories.

The structure itself follows the typical design of Irish tower houses; a vertical stone fortress built for both residence and defence. Though now largely ruined, the remaining walls suggest it once stood several storeys high, with thick limestone walls capable of withstanding siege warfare common during the centuries of clan conflicts and English conquest. Archaeological evidence indicates the presence of defensive features such as murder holes, narrow windows for archers, and a bawn wall that would have enclosed a courtyard area for livestock and daily activities.

Historical records remain frustratingly sparse about Drumullan’s specific occupants and their role in local politics, though the castle likely changed hands multiple times throughout its active life. Like many Clare tower houses, it probably fell into decline during the 17th century Cromwellian campaigns or the subsequent Williamite Wars, when such structures became militarily obsolete and economically unsustainable. Today, the site serves as a tangible link to Clare’s medieval heritage, its weathered stones bearing silent witness to centuries of Irish history.