This circular fortification, officially recorded as National Monument No. 589, measures 40 metres across and features the classic defensive architecture of medieval Ireland: a substantial earthen bank encircling the site, with an external fosse (defensive ditch) that plunges seven metres from the outer face of the bank to its base. Faint traces of an additional outer bank and fosse suggest this was once an even more formidable structure.

The southwestern approach reveals the original entrance, complete with its causeway crossing the defensive ditch; a typical feature that allowed controlled access whilst maintaining the site’s defensive capabilities. Local tradition holds that this hilltop stronghold served as a residence for the kings of Leinster, as noted in the Ordnance Survey Letters of 1838, linking the site to Ireland’s rich royal heritage. This association with Leinster royalty speaks to the strategic importance of the location, which would have allowed its occupants to monitor and control the surrounding landscape.

Today, visitors to this ancient ringwork can still appreciate why this particular hilltop was chosen for such an important fortification. The steep slopes that made it so defensible in medieval times now offer spectacular panoramic views of the Kildare countryside, whilst the well-preserved earthworks provide a tangible connection to Ireland’s tumultuous past, when such fortifications were essential for survival and maintaining power in a contested landscape.