This circular fortification, measuring approximately 21 metres across its interior, would have once been completely enclosed by a substantial stone wall. Today, only the northern section of this defensive barrier still stands to any significant height; about one metre tall, whilst the rest of the structure has largely collapsed. However, careful observation reveals the ghostly outline of the complete circuit, traced through the tumbled stones and subtle changes in the ground level.

These cashels, the stone equivalents of earthen ringforts, were typically built between the early medieval period and the 12th century, serving as fortified homesteads for farming families. The choice of stone over earth for construction often reflected the local geology and available building materials, particularly in areas where suitable stone was readily accessible. The positioning of this particular example, overlooking good grazing land with access to water, suggests it was home to a relatively prosperous farming family who would have kept cattle, sheep and perhaps grown some crops in small enclosed gardens.

The site was documented as part of the comprehensive Archaeological Survey of County Donegal, compiled by Brian Lacey and his team in 1983. This ambitious project catalogued field antiquities across the county, spanning from the Mesolithic period right through to the 17th century, providing invaluable documentation of sites that might otherwise have been forgotten or lost to development. The Dristernan cashel, like many similar sites across Ireland, offers a tangible connection to the medieval farming communities who shaped this landscape centuries ago.