The construction date of Kirkistown Castle has recently been a subject of debate, but conventionally, it is thought to have been erected by Roland Savage of Ballygalget around 1622, potentially repurposing an earlier site.

Comprising a three-story tower house situated within the remnants of a bawn (a fortified enclosed space) and a subsequent barn, the castle has experienced gradual subsidence over the centuries due to inadequate foundations for the marshy ground. In the late 19th century, buttresses and two iron braces were introduced to counteract movement in the walls. Throughout its history, the tower has undergone several modifications, undergoing extensive remodeling in the early 19th century in a neo-gothic style.