By 1654, when the Civil Survey recorded it as an ‘old decayed castle called Gortkelly’, this once-formidable stronghold had already fallen into ruin. What remains today is a fascinating example of a motte and bailey fortification, complete with the remnants of a castle crowning its earthen mound.

The site consists of a circular, flat-topped mound measuring about 23 metres north to south and 19.4 metres east to west at its summit, rising 3.4 metres high. Stone walling is still visible along the western edge, whilst the sides show evidence of stone revetting that once helped stabilise the earthwork. The eastern edge takes advantage of the natural terrain, formed by a steep scarp that would have made any assault from that direction particularly challenging. To the northwest lies a roughly triangular bailey, enclosed by a broad bank that stands nearly two metres high on its outer face. An external ditch, about 3.4 metres wide and just over a metre deep, can still be traced along the southwestern section, though a modern gap was cut through the bank around 2006 according to local knowledge.

The defensive layout shows careful planning, though it wasn’t without vulnerabilities; the western side of the bailey faces an opposing ridge that would have given any attackers a tactical advantage. The original entrance appears to have been positioned at the apex of the triangular bailey, where defenders could best monitor approaching visitors. The northeast portion of the motte sits lowest, only 1.73 metres above the bailey level, suggesting this may have been the main access point between the two defensive zones. Together, these features paint a picture of a significant medieval fortification that once commanded this stretch of the Tipperary landscape.