Local tradition holds that this was once a stronghold of the O’Flanagans, one of the many Gaelic families who dominated the Irish landscape before the Norman invasion and continued to wield influence for centuries afterwards. The castle mound sits at the northeastern corner of what was once a rectangular bawn, a fortified enclosure that would have protected both people and livestock during times of conflict.

The bawn itself measures approximately 30 metres on each side, with its boundaries still traceable through grass-covered wall footings and scattered stones that rise barely a quarter of a metre above ground level. These low remnants run along the northern and western edges, giving visitors a sense of the original defensive perimeter. At the northwestern corner, archaeologists have identified the foundations of what appears to be a small corner tower, measuring just 3 metres square internally with a narrow entrance on its northern side; such towers were typical features of Irish bawns, providing elevated positions for defenders to survey the surrounding countryside.

Within the protected space of the bawn, foundations of two houses have been discovered, suggesting this wasn’t merely a military outpost but a lived-in settlement where daily life continued even in uncertain times. The combination of castle mound, defensive walls, tower and domestic buildings paints a picture of a self-contained community, ready to close its gates against raiders whilst maintaining the rhythms of agricultural and domestic life that sustained rural Ireland through the medieval period.