5 metres from the surrounding landscape. The earthwork measures between 24 and 28 metres across at its base, narrowing to approximately 15 metres at its flattened summit. Whilst time has softened many of its defensive features, careful observation reveals the faint traces of a fosse, or defensive ditch, that once encircled the mound. This ditch is most visible on the western side, where it reaches 8.3 metres in width, though elsewhere it has been reduced to a barely perceptible depression of just half a metre.

The motte’s northwestern to southwestern flanks tell a more recent story of agricultural life in rural Ireland. Here, the original medieval earthwork has been modified by generations of farmers who carved a track up the side of the mound, allowing cattle to access the summit for grazing. This practical reuse has scarped and disturbed the original profile, creating an inadvertent pathway that now offers visitors an easier route to the top.

The strategic placement of this fortification becomes clear when considering its proximity to Dromin church, which sits just east-southeast of the motte. This pairing of military and ecclesiastical structures was common in medieval Ireland, where Norman lords often established their strongholds near existing religious sites. The motte would have originally supported a wooden tower or palisade, serving as both a defensive position and a symbol of Norman authority in the region during the 12th and 13th centuries.