The castle ruins sit within what appears to be a circular enclosure, possibly a ringwork; a type of medieval fortification consisting of a circular earthen bank and ditch that would have once protected a wooden palisade and internal buildings.

When the Ordnance Survey visited in 1839, they documented a substantial stone wall on the western side of the enclosure, measuring about 7.6 metres long and varying in height from 0.6 to 1.5 metres. The surveyors noted it appeared to be part of an old castle, though even then, local residents had no stories or traditions to share about the structure’s history. Today, this wall has vanished from view at ground level, either buried beneath centuries of accumulated earth or dismantled for building materials, as was common practice in rural Ireland.

The site’s strategic position at the break in slope, where gentle valley sides meet steep uplands, suggests it held defensive importance in medieval times. Such locations were prized for their natural advantages; providing clear sightlines for spotting approaching visitors or threats whilst remaining accessible to the fertile valley lands below. Though the physical remains have largely disappeared, the earthwork enclosure still marks where this forgotten stronghold once stood watch over the Kilkenny countryside.