Whilst the Strafford map from around 1636 shows only a simple cross marking a church at this location, historical records reveal a more complex picture of land ownership and use. William McHugh Kelly held substantial estates here in 1641, owning more than 600 acres across Ballagh and Raharrowbeg, suggesting this was once a significant landholding in the region.

Today, visitors to the site will find a subrectangular grass-covered mound that hints at the castle’s former presence. The mound measures approximately 10.2 metres east to west and 3.4 metres north to south at its top, expanding to 17 metres by 8.4 metres at its base, with a height varying between 0.65 and 1.25 metres. This earthwork sits within an earlier rath, a type of circular fortified settlement common throughout Ireland’s medieval period. Interestingly, the castle itself wasn’t marked on Ordnance Survey maps until the 1915 edition of the 6-inch series, despite the site’s much longer history.

The location sits in a broad basin and forms part of a wider archaeological landscape. Just to the south stands an ancient standing stone, adding another layer of historical depth to the area. Together, these features; the rath, the castle mound, and the standing stone; represent different periods of human activity at Raharrowbeg, from prehistoric times through the medieval period and beyond. The combination of archaeological remains and documentary evidence helps piece together a story of continuous occupation and adaptation at this rural Roscommon site.