The motte itself is a substantial earthen mound, roughly circular in shape and standing six metres high with a flat summit measuring approximately 16 metres east to west and 14 metres north to south. Though now covered in grass and shaded by mature trees, traces of a stone wall can still be seen around its perimeter, whilst a defensive ditch, or fosse, curves around its southwestern edge where it meets the bailey.

The bailey forms a distinctive crescent or D-shaped enclosure attached to the southwestern and northeastern sides of the motte. This lower courtyard area is protected by earthen banks and an outer fosse that would have provided additional defence for the castle's inhabitants and their daily activities. What makes this site particularly intriguing is the presence of a souterrain, an underground passage typical of earlier Irish ringforts, located at the base of the motte with its entrance facing south. This feature suggests the Norman builders may have adapted an existing Irish rath when constructing their fortress, a practice that wasn't uncommon as the Normans established their presence in Ireland during the 12th and 13th centuries.

The strategic importance of this location becomes clearer when considering its proximity to the medieval parish church of Killiagh, situated roughly 430 metres to the northeast. This close relationship between castle and church reflects the interconnected nature of secular and religious power in medieval Ireland, where Norman lords often established their strongholds near existing ecclesiastical sites to assert control over both the spiritual and temporal aspects of local life.