Though nothing remains visible at ground level today, this site represents an intriguing piece of Ireland’s medieval past. The location appears on the first edition Ordnance Survey map from 1840, where it’s marked as a subrectangular enclosure, giving us a glimpse of what once stood here.

Moated sites like this one were typically built between the 13th and 14th centuries, often by Anglo-Norman settlers or prosperous Irish families. The moat, which would have been a water-filled ditch surrounding the site, served both defensive and status purposes; it protected the timber or stone buildings within whilst announcing the wealth and importance of its owners. The rectangular shape suggests this was likely a fortified farmstead or manor house rather than a military stronghold.

Today, visitors to Killurane won’t see dramatic ruins or imposing walls, but the site remains significant for understanding medieval settlement patterns in North Tipperary. The proximity to water was no accident; the nearby stream would have provided a ready source for filling the moat and supplying the household. Archaeological surveys have documented hundreds of similar sites across Ireland, each one helping to piece together how people lived, farmed, and defended their holdings during a turbulent period of Irish history.