What remains today is primarily the castle’s north wall, stretching about 8 metres high and supported by buttresses, with visible scarring that shows where another structure once joined it. The castle sits on the summit of a ridge running north-northwest to south-southeast, commanding views across the surrounding countryside; a strategic position that explains why this spot has been fortified for so long.

Historical records paint a fuller picture of what once stood here. The Down Survey maps from 1656-8 show the castle positioned next to a church, whilst the earlier Civil Survey of 1654-6 provides fascinating detail about the estate’s condition in 1640. At that time, Richard Barnwall of Crickstown owned 182 acres at Moylagh, which included not just the ruinous castle with its bawn (fortified enclosure), but also a church complete with a steeple tower and some 20 cabins, suggesting a thriving settlement. Today, you can still trace this medieval layout; the parish church ruins lie about 90 metres to the north, whilst remnants of the old settlement can be found to the east and northeast.

The castle’s placement atop a motte, an artificial earthen mound typically dating to the Norman period, reveals how different powers have reused and adapted this defensive position over the centuries. From Norman earthwork to medieval castle to the Barnwall family estate, each era has left its mark on this ridge in Moylagh parish, creating a palimpsest of Irish history that continues to intrigue archaeologists and visitors alike.