Though the castle or tower house that likely stood here has vanished completely, visitors can still trace the outline of its defensive bawn wall and corner tower amongst the tillage fields. The surviving structures enclose a rectangular area measuring approximately 60 metres north to south and 50 metres east to west, offering a glimpse into the defensive architecture that once protected this strategic coastal position.

The most impressive surviving feature is the western wall, which still stands about three metres high despite being heavily cloaked in ivy. This wall includes a short right-angled return at its northern end that extends eastward for about 9.5 metres, whilst the remainder of the enclosure is marked by lower, overgrown walls roughly a metre in height to the east and south. The line of fortification can still be traced as a break in the slope where the wall once continued. At the southern end of the western wall, the ground floor remnants of a rectangular tower can be found; this structure measures 6.2 metres from north to south and projects about two metres west from the main wall line, though its eastern side has been lost to time.

Whilst no dateable features have been identified amongst the ruins, historical records suggest the castle was probably built by the Barry family, one of the Anglo-Norman families who established themselves in Cork following the Norman invasion of Ireland. The Barrys held considerable lands throughout Cork from the medieval period onwards, and this fortress would have served as one of many strongholds protecting their territories and controlling access along the eastern approaches to Cork Harbour.