Today, visitors will find a mound of earth and stones stretching approximately 15 metres east to west and 10 metres north to south, rising to about 1.5 metres in height. The most substantial surviving feature is a section of mortared stone wall at the eastern end, standing just over a metre high and measuring roughly 1.16 metres in length with a width of one metre.

The castle’s proximity to the ringfort suggests a deliberate choice of location, likely taking advantage of existing defensive earthworks or perhaps representing a later phase of occupation at an already significant site. Ringforts, which are among Ireland’s most common archaeological monuments, were typically built between the early medieval period and the 12th century, whilst stone castles generally date from the Anglo-Norman period onwards. The juxtaposition of these two defensive structures offers an intriguing glimpse into the layers of history that characterise this Cork landscape.

Though the castle at Cloghgriffin has been reduced to little more than foundations and fragments, its documentation in the Archaeological Inventory of County Cork helps preserve its place in the historical record. The site serves as a reminder of how the Irish countryside is dotted with ruins that span centuries of construction, conflict, and abandonment; each one a tangible link to the communities that once called these places home.