This impressive motte, a type of castle mound dating from the Norman period, stands nearly 8 metres tall with a base diameter of approximately 40 metres. The roughly circular, steep-sided structure features a flat top about 3 metres across, which would have originally supported a wooden tower or palisade. Surrounding the mound is a defensive ditch, or fosse, measuring over 2 metres deep, with an outer bank that adds an extra layer of fortification. A 7-metre-wide causeway crosses the fosse on the western side, marking the original entrance to this stronghold.

Time and human activity have left their mark on this ancient fortification. The southeastern side shows evidence of quarrying, which has left that section’s profile notably uneven, whilst dense trees and bushes have colonised the northern slopes. A curious L-shaped section of mortared stone wall, standing about 1.6 metres high, has been built into the western face of the mound, though its purpose and date remain unclear. The current field boundary runs along the northwest base before skirting around to the southeast, now heavily overgrown with bushes where it follows the mound’s perimeter.

Local folklore has long associated this site with the supernatural, earning it the evocative name of the “Odell Banshee Mound” by the early 20th century, as recorded by historian Molony in 1905. Whilst the connection to the mythical harbinger of death adds a layer of intrigue, the mound’s true significance lies in its role as a Norman defensive structure, part of the network of fortifications that helped establish Anglo-Norman control over medieval Ireland. Despite centuries of weathering and modification, it remains an imposing reminder of the military architecture that once dominated the Irish landscape.