This imposing circular mound stands 8.2 metres high, its steep sides plunging into a water-filled fosse that still encircles the structure like a protective moat. The earthen bank that surrounds this defensive ditch varies in width; it’s most substantial on the western side where mature trees have taken root, whilst the southern section narrows to a mere ribbon of earth from which a field boundary extends southward.

The mound itself, measuring roughly 21.5 metres east to west and 18.4 metres north to south, bears the hallmarks of a Norman motte, though its flat summit tells a more complex story. A central depression, spanning about 10 metres across, suggests either the remains of a timber structure or later quarrying activity. Today, trees crown the entire mound, their roots likely disturbing whatever archaeological secrets lie beneath. Access remains possible via a muddy causeway on the north-northwest side, though visitors should prepare for wet conditions underfoot.

Situated approximately 80 metres east of a bivallate ringfort and within sight of Ardskeagh Church some 500 metres to the north-northwest, this moat forms part of a rich archaeological landscape that speaks to centuries of continuous occupation. The proximity of these different defensive and religious structures hints at the strategic importance of this location, overlooking the river valley and commanding views across the surrounding countryside. Whether Norman in origin or an earlier Irish fortification adapted by later settlers, Ardskeagh Moat remains an evocative reminder of medieval power and paranoia in North Cork.