This impressive motte, from which the village takes the first part of its name, stands as a flat-topped mound with steep sides, its summit measuring approximately 29.5 metres by 21.5 metres. Now overgrown with trees and scrub, the summit is defined by a slight bank around its perimeter, whilst the entire structure dominates the surrounding countryside about 600 metres northwest of a tributary of the River Nore.

The motte has undergone significant changes since its medieval construction. Quarrying activities have eaten into the western sector of its base, whilst the northern side, which runs alongside the public road, has been landscaped above a retaining stone wall. In 1954, local devotion led to the construction of a Marian grotto built directly into the north face of the mound, adding a layer of religious significance to this ancient defensive structure. Historical records from Carrigan’s 1905 survey describe it as ‘the great circular dun or “moat”‘, highlighting its long-standing importance in local memory and placenames.

Archaeological field notes from 1993 suggest intriguing possibilities for additional features. About 27 metres to the west, a curving bank may represent the remains of an associated bailey; a fortified enclosure that would have accompanied the motte in its original medieval form. Alternatively, this feature could simply be upcast material from the later quarrying operations. Either way, the Dungarvan motte remains a substantial reminder of Norman influence in medieval Kilkenny, its tree-crowned summit still commanding attention from travelers on the road below.