This ancient fortification was only properly identified through aerial reconnaissance in February 1986, revealing what survives of a roughly oval enclosure measuring approximately 200 metres east to west and 150 metres north to south. Though time hasn’t been kind to the structure, you can still trace parts of its defensive bank along the northern and eastern sections, where it rises about 0.6 metres on the interior side with a width of roughly 1.5 metres across the top. The eastern, southeastern, western and northern portions are marked by natural scarps rather than built defences, whilst other sections have left no visible trace on the surface at all.

The hillfort’s long history appears to have seen it repurposed over the centuries, with several modern field boundaries now cutting straight through the ancient monument. Archaeological evidence suggests a field system once abutted the fortification at its northeastern corner, hinting at agricultural activity in the area. Perhaps most intriguingly, researcher Beglan has proposed that during the high medieval period, when a deer park was established in the area, this old hillfort may have found new life as a secondary lodge; a practical reuse of an existing defensive position for the management and oversight of the medieval hunting grounds.

Today, visitors to the site need a keen eye to pick out the subtle earthworks that mark this piece of Ireland’s ancient past. The combination of natural defensive features and constructed banks speaks to the strategic thinking of its builders, who clearly understood how to make the most of the hilltop’s commanding position over the surrounding landscape. Despite the encroachment of modern farming and the passage of perhaps two millennia or more, Earlspark hillfort remains a tangible link to the generations who once lived, worked and defended this corner of County Galway.