This historic earthwork first appeared on maps in 1840, when Ordnance Survey Ireland cartographers carefully annotated it as ‘Carheen fort’, depicting it as a rectangular enclosure marked by a distinctive scarp. Notably, they recorded a lime kiln tucked into its southwestern corner, suggesting the site served practical purposes alongside any defensive role it may have played.

By the time the more detailed 1897 Ordnance Survey maps were drawn, the fort had taken on a roughly square appearance, measuring approximately 30 metres on each side and enclosed by an earthen bank. The monument hasn’t escaped the march of time entirely; field boundaries running north to south have cut through its northern and southern edges, leaving it truncated but still clearly visible. Historical researcher Barry raised an interesting possibility in 1981, suggesting this might actually be a moated site rather than a traditional fort, adding another layer of mystery to its origins.

Modern technology has given us fresh perspectives on this ancient site. The outline of Carheen Fort remains clearly visible from above, its boundaries now marked by trees that have grown along the old earthworks. Digital Globe orthoimages captured between 2011 and 2013, along with Google Earth imagery, reveal the monument’s footprint with remarkable clarity, allowing armchair archaeologists and history enthusiasts to explore this piece of Limerick’s past from anywhere in the world. The site stands as a testament to the layers of history written into Ireland’s landscape, from medieval fortifications to Victorian cartography to modern satellite imaging.