First spotted by Jean-Charles Caillère on Google Earth satellite imagery from March 2011, this feature appears to be a moated site, a type of medieval farmstead typically dating from the 13th to 14th centuries. These enclosures, surrounded by water-filled ditches, served both defensive and status purposes for their inhabitants, who were often Anglo-Norman settlers or prosperous Gaelic families.

What makes this site particularly fascinating is its location within a broader medieval landscape. Just 25 metres to the west lies another moated site, whilst a tower house stands roughly 170 metres to the east-northeast. A cashel, or stone-walled enclosure, can be found about 128 metres to the north-northwest. This concentration of medieval structures suggests the area was once a thriving settlement, with different types of fortifications and dwellings reflecting the complex social hierarchy and defensive needs of medieval Galway.

The preservation of these earthworks in the modern landscape, visible even from satellite imagery, demonstrates how Ireland’s agricultural heritage has inadvertently protected many archaeological sites. Whilst the pastureland continues to be used for farming today, these rectangular impressions in the earth remain as subtle reminders of the families who once lived, worked, and defended their homes here centuries ago.