This substantial earthen mound occupied a prominent position on what became the Naas Fairgreen, though its exact nature sparked debate amongst antiquarians and archaeologists. While some early observers dismissed it as a relatively modern construction, possibly even the site of old military barracks before newer ones were built, others recognised features suggesting a much older origin.

Historical records paint an intriguing picture of the site’s appearance and possible function. Writing in the late 19th century, de Burgh described it as an ‘old rath’, whilst a 1681 reference intriguingly called it a ‘square fort’; an unusual description for what are typically circular Irish earthworks. The Ordnance Survey Letters noted that whilst it didn’t present the typical form of a dún, or fortified settlement, it was nonetheless a very large hillock that had been broken down and encroached upon over the centuries. This gradual degradation of the monument continued until around 1900, when the mound was finally levelled and the site landscaped into its current form.

Despite the South Moat’s destruction over a century ago, the site hasn’t given up all its secrets. Archaeological testing in 2001, conducted ahead of a proposed swimming pool development immediately to the east, revealed material of archaeological potential, suggesting that traces of Naas’s ancient past may still lie beneath the modern landscape. The South Moat’s story reflects a common fate for many of Ireland’s earthwork monuments; gradually worn down by time and human activity, yet still holding clues to the medieval or even earlier settlements that once defined these landscapes.