What remains today is modest but evocative: a nine-metre stretch of the western wall and a small 1.8-metre section of the southern wall, both rising to what would have been the second floor level. These weathered stone fragments are all that survive of what was once a formidable tower house, also known as Ardcloyne Castle.

The architectural details that remain offer fascinating glimpses into the building’s defensive capabilities and domestic arrangements. At ground level in the western wall, a lintelled gun loop provided a strategic firing position for defenders, whilst a fireplace on the second floor hints at the more comfortable living quarters above. The southwest corner features a particularly interesting detail; a bartizan, or overhanging turret, which juts out from the wall supported by three tapering corbels. This feature would have allowed defenders to cover the base of the walls from above, a crucial defensive advantage in an era of frequent raids and territorial disputes.

Built during the early decades of the 1600s, the castle was likely constructed by the Roche family of Kinsale, a prominent Norman-Irish family who held considerable influence in the region. The timing of its construction places it within a turbulent period of Irish history, when the old Gaelic order was giving way to increased English control, and fortified houses like this one served both as family homes and symbols of authority in an uncertain landscape.