This rath, as these circular fortified farmsteads are known in Irish archaeology, would have originally consisted of a subcircular living space protected by an earthen bank and an external ditch, or fosse. Today, only portions of these defensive features remain visible on the eastern and northern sides of the site, and even these surviving sections have deteriorated considerably over the centuries.

Ringforts like this one were the predominant form of rural settlement in Ireland between roughly 500 and 1000 AD, though some continued to be occupied into the later medieval period. The typical rath housed an extended family group along with their livestock, and the surrounding bank and ditch served both defensive and symbolic purposes; marking territory and social status as much as providing protection. The choice of location at Lissacholly, positioned on elevated ground with views across the surrounding landscape, follows a pattern seen in many ringfort sites, offering both practical advantages for drainage and defence whilst maintaining visibility over agricultural lands.

Archaeological surveys suggest that thousands of these monuments once dotted the Irish countryside, with County Donegal alone containing hundreds of examples in varying states of preservation. The Lissacholly site, documented in the comprehensive Archaeological Survey of County Donegal in 1983, forms part of this extensive network of early medieval settlements that shaped the rural landscape of Ireland for centuries. While time and agriculture have taken their toll on the physical remains, these earthworks continue to offer valuable insights into how communities lived, farmed, and organised themselves during this formative period of Irish history.