The site changed hands in the 15th century when the Plunkets acquired it through marriage, marking a significant shift in local power dynamics that was common throughout medieval Ireland. Today, what remains of this once-important stronghold includes a distinctive flat-topped mound measuring 14 metres square at its summit and rising 3.5 metres high, now covered with trees that have taken root over the centuries.

The Plunkets likely constructed the tower house that stands built into the northern side of the mound, a defensive structure typical of the period when local lords needed fortified residences to protect their holdings. These tower houses served as both home and fortress, allowing families like the Plunkets to maintain control over their territories whilst providing a secure base during Ireland’s turbulent medieval period. The positioning of the tower house, integrated directly into the existing motte, shows how successive generations adapted and built upon earlier defensive earthworks.

About 350 metres south-southwest of the castle mound stands the parish church of Rathmore, creating a typical medieval Irish landscape where religious and secular power centres existed in close proximity. This arrangement reflects the interconnected nature of church and nobility in medieval Ireland, where local lords often acted as patrons to nearby religious establishments whilst the church provided spiritual authority that reinforced temporal power. Together, these structures paint a picture of a thriving medieval community centred around the Plunket family’s seat of power.