This motte, measuring nearly 14 metres across its level top and rising almost 3 metres at its northern edge, offers commanding views across the Nuenna River valley to the distant hills. The strategic positioning is no accident; from here, one can survey the landscape to the north and west, whilst the rising ground to the east and south provides natural protection. The mound’s base spans approximately 24 metres north to south, and subtle traces of an external fosse, or defensive ditch, can still be detected around its perimeter.

The motte’s construction tells an intriguing story of medieval engineering and possible design features. The top slopes noticeably downward towards the southeast, where the mound height drops to just 1.6 metres, suggesting this may have been the location of a ramped entrance that allowed access to the summit. Today, hawthorn trees dot the grass-covered sides of the earthwork, and keen observers might spot stones protruding from the southern face, hints of possible internal structures or reinforcement. The site forms part of a broader medieval landscape, with a church and graveyard approximately 120 metres to the northeast, and a castle roughly 100 metres to the south-southwest.

Historical records reveal that Ballylarkin was granted to Robert Shortall sometime between 1202 and 1218, subsequently becoming the principal seat of the Shortall family. This motte likely played a crucial role in establishing Norman control over the area during the early 13th century, serving as both a defensive fortification and a symbol of authority over the surrounding lands. The enduring earthwork remains an impressive reminder of how the Anglo-Normans transformed the Irish landscape, creating a network of mottes and baileys that would shape the country’s medieval geography for generations to come.