The flat-topped structure measures 14 metres across at its summit and expands to 45 metres at its base, reaching heights between 9.5 and 10.4 metres. Its steep, grass-covered sides are dotted with trees, including an elm that crowns the summit. The mound is encircled by a defensive fosse, essentially a dry moat, that’s 2 to 3 metres wide and up to 2 metres deep, with an external bank that’s particularly prominent on the northeast side.

What makes this site particularly interesting is its broader defensive layout. The external bank broadens into a crescent-shaped bailey that stretches approximately 50 metres, creating an additional fortified area typical of Norman military architecture. This type of earthwork, known as a motte-and-bailey, was a common feature of Norman conquest and settlement in Ireland during the 12th and 13th centuries. The motte served as the main stronghold, likely topped with a wooden tower or palisade, whilst the bailey provided space for additional buildings and activities.

The strategic placement of this fortification becomes clearer when considering its surroundings. About 270 metres to the east-southeast lies the early church site of St Finian, which later became the medieval parish church, suggesting the motte was positioned to control or protect this religious centre. The earthwork appears to be integrated with the surrounding field system, and intriguingly, another possible fortification, a ringwork, sits just 70 metres away across the river to the southwest. This concentration of defensive structures hints at the site’s importance in controlling this river crossing and the surrounding territory during the medieval period.