It was built as a signal and gun tower to defend Ireland against invasion by the French during the Napoleonic Wars.

The tower's construction dates back to March 1811 when 6 acres (2.4 ha) of land for the site was purchased from a Major Lynch.

It also contained a basement water tank, a magazine, cellar and store at ground level.

[citation needed] People from New Quay often rowed across the inlet to attend the gatherings.

In 1960, a man named Duffy from Limerick purchased the tower from the Land Commission and sold the property in 1987 for an undisclosed amount of money.