Built around 1580, this four-storey fortified residence represents the typical defensive architecture favoured by Gaelic and Anglo-Norman families during a particularly turbulent period in Irish history. The castle’s strategic position allowed its occupants to monitor boat traffic on the lough whilst maintaining control over the surrounding agricultural lands.

The tower house follows a classic rectangular design, measuring approximately 10 by 8 metres, with walls nearly two metres thick at the base. Each floor served a distinct purpose; the ground level housed storage and servants’ quarters, whilst the upper floors contained the family’s living spaces, including a great hall for entertaining and private chambers. Notable architectural features include murder holes above the entrance, narrow defensive windows, and a distinctive corbelled roof that would have originally been topped with thatch or slate. The castle’s defensive capabilities were enhanced by a bawn wall that once enclosed a courtyard, though only traces of this outer fortification remain today.

By the late 17th century, following the Cromwellian conquest and subsequent Williamite Wars, the O’Kennedys lost possession of Urlanmore Castle, and it gradually fell into disuse. Today, the structure stands roofless but remarkably intact, offering visitors a chance to explore a genuine example of late medieval Irish castle building. The site is freely accessible via a short walk from the R352 road, and its lakeside setting provides spectacular views across Lough Derg to the mountains of Tipperary beyond.