A cashel is simply a ringfort built from stone rather than earth and timber, the choice of material here almost certainly dictated by the rocky terrain of Clare, where loose field stone was plentiful and easier to work with than soil. These enclosures typically date from roughly the sixth to the twelfth centuries and served as farmsteads for individual families or minor lords, the circular wall providing a boundary as much social as defensive.

The place name itself rewards a little attention. Cragballyconoal likely preserves older Irish elements, with "crag" pointing to a rocky outcrop or feature in the ground, which would fit the geology of this part of Clare well. The designation "cashel" in the monument's classification confirms the stone construction, distinguishing it from the earthen raths and forts found more commonly in lowland parts of the country. Beyond that, the documentary record for this particular site is sparse, and the details of who built it, when precisely it was constructed, and what archaeological features survive within the enclosure remain unconfirmed in the public record.