This impressive defensive structure crowns Laghtea Hill, enclosing nearly eight hectares across two summits with double earthen ramparts that still stand remarkably well after centuries of weathering. The builders chose their location wisely; from here, they could monitor the strategic southern fording point of Lough Derg whilst maintaining panoramic visibility in all directions. The fort's irregular shape follows the natural contours of the hilltop, with massive earth and stone banks rising up to 2.5 metres high on the western approaches, whilst the eastern edge relies on the hill's natural cliff face for defence.

The interior of the hillfort reveals a landscape shaped by both nature and human hands. Rocky outcrops dominate much of the enclosed space, now covered in furze and light blanket bog, but amongst these natural features sits a curious circular platform about 20 metres across at the northern end. This stone-edged structure, which contains a well, likely dates to the same period as the hillfort's construction. The defensive banks themselves consist of two parallel ramparts with a fosse, or ditch, running between them. Though the inner bank remains the best preserved, with heights reaching 2.5 metres on its exterior face, centuries of peat accumulation and vegetation growth have partially concealed the outer defences. Archaeological surveys suggest there may have been a causewayed entrance on the western side, though modern intrusions have made this difficult to confirm.

Today, the site serves a rather different purpose from its martial origins. Since 2002, a popular walking trail has wound its way up through the ancient ramparts, leading visitors to a modern Millennium Cross erected at the summit. This three-metre-wide path, expanded in 2015 with additional steps, has transformed the hillfort into one of the area's favourite hiking destinations. The cross itself stands on a nine-metre square foundation near the remnants of an earlier cross base from 1932, complete with wire stays, viewing platforms, and a metal bench overlooking Lough Derg. Whilst these modern additions have certainly impacted the archaeological integrity of the site, they've also ensured that Laghtea Hill continues to draw people to its commanding heights, much as it must have done when its ramparts were first raised above the Tipperary landscape.