The site sits east of the old coach road that once carried travellers north through the county, bordered by modern roads to the north and west and the river to the south. At its heart rises an impressive flat-topped mound, measuring 25 metres across and standing 6 metres high; a formidable earthwork that would have once supported a wooden tower or keep.

The motte is encircled by a deep V-shaped fosse, or defensive ditch, that remains particularly well-preserved along the northern and northeastern sections where it measures 8 metres wide and plunges 1.5 metres deep. Keen observers might spot the faint remains of an outer defensive bank along the western edge. The bailey, which would have contained the castle’s ancillary buildings and served as a fortified courtyard, presents something of a puzzle. Historical records from 1975 describe it as a raised platform measuring 56 by 70 metres on the opposite side of the road, though today a flat area sloping eastward from the overgrown mound may represent part of this original structure.

This medieval stronghold has been recognised for its historical importance since 1983, when it was granted protected status under the National Monuments Acts. The site will eventually form part of the Ward River Valley Park, ensuring that future generations can explore this tangible link to Ireland’s Norman past. Though time and vegetation have softened its military edges, the castle remains an evocative reminder of the strategic importance of the Ward valley and the Norman influence that reshaped medieval Ireland.