Dating from the 13th or 14th century, this rectangular earthwork enclosure would have once protected a timber hall or manor house, surrounded by a water-filled defensive ditch. The site measures approximately 30 metres by 40 metres, with the surviving earthen banks still rising to about 2 metres in height despite centuries of weathering and agricultural activity.

Moated sites like Carrigeen represent a particular type of medieval settlement that flourished in Ireland between 1200 and 1400 AD, primarily built by Anglo-Norman colonists and wealthy Gaelic Irish families. These fortified homesteads served multiple purposes; the water-filled moat provided defence against raiders whilst also draining the surrounding land for agriculture, creating a raised, dry platform for buildings. Archaeological evidence from similar sites suggests that Carrigeen would have contained a central hall, outbuildings for livestock and storage, and possibly a small chapel, all constructed from timber with thatched roofs.

Today, the site at Carrigeen offers visitors a tangible connection to medieval Kerry, when this region formed part of the contested borderlands between Gaelic Irish territories and Anglo-Norman holdings. Though the timber structures have long since vanished, the earthworks remain remarkably well-preserved, particularly the northern and eastern sections where the original moat can still be traced. The site sits on private farmland but can be viewed from the adjacent public road, standing as a quiet monument to the complex patterns of settlement, conflict, and cultural exchange that shaped medieval Ireland.