This remarkably well-preserved four-storey tower house dates from the late medieval period and showcases the defensive architecture typical of Irish strongholds. Built from roughly coursed limestone rubble, the tower measures approximately 9.35 metres north to south and 11.5 metres east to west, with walls over two metres thick at the base. The main entrance on the eastern wall features a two-centred doorway with chamfered jambs and two yett-holes; iron gate fixtures that once secured heavy wooden doors against unwanted visitors.

The castle’s interior reveals a sophisticated defensive layout combined with domestic comforts. Upon entering, visitors would find themselves in a lobby overlooked by a murder-hole, from which defenders could attack intruders trapped below. A spiral staircase in the southeast corner connects all four floors, whilst each level served distinct purposes. The ground floor housed the main chamber and guardroom, lit by narrow slit windows set into segmental-arched embrasures that still show traces of the wicker centring used during construction. The first and second floors contained living quarters with progressively more elaborate features; the second floor boasts twin-light ogee-headed windows with decorated spandrels, whilst the third floor likely served as the lord’s private chamber, complete with transomed and mullioned windows offering views across the surrounding wetlands.

The castle’s builders incorporated numerous practical and defensive features throughout the structure. Multiple garderobes, essentially medieval toilets, were built into the walls at various levels, with carefully designed chutes directing waste away from the building. Slop-stones beneath windows allowed for the disposal of wash water, whilst a secret chamber accessed through a concealed doorway in the third floor connected to a hidden room via a drop-hole. The battlemented wall-walk crowning the tower provided both defensive positions and commanding views of the surrounding landscape. Several mason’s marks in the distinctive form of hourglasses can still be seen on the window jambs, signatures left by the medieval craftsmen who shaped these stones centuries ago. The castle represents a fascinating example of how Ireland’s medieval lords balanced the needs of defence with domestic comfort in an era of constant territorial conflict.