The site was first identified not by a spade but by a crop mark, that faint but telling discolouration that appears in aerial photographs when buried features alter the growth of vegetation above them. Crop marks of this kind are among archaeology's more quietly remarkable tools; differential soil moisture and nutrient levels around ancient ditches or pits cause overlying crops to grow at slightly different rates, making structures invisible at ground level suddenly legible from the air. In this case, the mark was recorded in the Sites and Monuments Record file and brought to attention through a communication from T. Condit.

Following that initial identification, the site was examined more closely through geophysical survey, carried out under licence number 14R0031, and then by test excavation under licence number 14E0165, with work by Nelis in 2014. The results gave a clearer picture of what lies below. The enclosure ditch reaches a maximum width of 3.65 metres and a depth of 1.3 metres, dimensions consistent with a substantial boundary that would have been a meaningful physical presence in its day. Inside the enclosure, archaeologists identified a range of features: spreads of material, linear features, pits, and postholes, the last of which indicate that wooden structures once stood within. Outside the enclosed area, a spread of burnt stone and a possible pit were also recorded. Burnt stone spreads are found across Irish prehistoric sites and are often associated with cooking or industrial activity, though the precise function here remains open. The site has been designated for preservation in situ, with a 20-metre buffer zone protecting the core features.

Because the enclosure is being preserved in place rather than fully excavated, there is nothing visible to a casual visitor at ground level; the landscape gives nothing away. The interest lies in knowing it is there, beneath ordinary-looking farmland on the northern fringe of the Dublin conurbation. Those curious about the broader archaeology of the area might consult the National Monuments Service's online mapping tools, which allow anyone to locate recorded sites and read the associated SMR files. The Kinsaley enclosure is a reminder that the countryside around Dublin is considerably more layered than its suburban edges might suggest.