This earthwork fortification consists of a raised rectangular platform surrounded by a water-filled ditch, or moat, which would have once protected a timber hall or tower house. Dating from the 13th to 14th centuries, these moated sites were typically constructed by Anglo-Norman settlers or wealthy Gaelic families who adopted this defensive style during a period of territorial uncertainty and local conflict.

The Ardrahan North site follows the classic pattern of Irish moated sites; a central platform measuring roughly 40 by 30 metres, elevated above the surrounding landscape and encircled by a substantial ditch that would have been fed by local water sources. While the original structures have long since vanished, archaeological evidence suggests the platform would have supported a fortified dwelling, along with ancillary buildings for livestock and storage. The moat served multiple purposes: defence against raids, drainage for the raised platform, and a status symbol demonstrating the owner’s wealth and influence in medieval Galway.

Today, the site appears as a series of grass-covered earthen banks and depressions in the landscape, easily overlooked by casual observers. However, it represents one of approximately 750 known moated sites across Ireland, with particular concentrations in counties like Galway, Cork, and Tipperary. These monuments provide valuable insights into settlement patterns, agricultural practices, and social hierarchies during the medieval period, when control of land meant survival and prosperity in an often turbulent political landscape.