The tower house at Drishane was built by the
MacCarthy (Mac Cárthaigh) clan c. 1436–50. It was probably begun by Dermot Mór, the second son of Tadhg (King of Desmond 1390–1428). Tadhg, son of Owen was in possession of Drishane Castle in 1592 when he
surrendered it to
Queen Elizabeth I and got a regrant. His son Owen (Eoin) still held the castle at his death in 1637. All MacCarthy lands were forfeit after the
Irish Confederate Wars (1641–53), but were restored to
Donough MacCarty, 1st Earl of Clancarty in 1660 when
Charles II regained the throne. The MacCarthys again lost their lands after the
Williamite War (1689–91). The land fell to the
Hollow Sword Blade Company, who sold it to Henry Wallis in 1709; the Wallises took full ownership in 1728. The Wallis family built the house, or castle as it came to be called, c. 1730. It was bought by the Duggan family and became a centre for
asylum seekers. . ==Tower house==