Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of ringfort sites in the townlands of Ballynoe and Scart.[4] A ruined medieval church, within the village, dates to at least the 14th century.[5]
Bowen's Court, a former 18th century country house and home to writer Elizabeth Bowen, was built in nearby Farahy.[3]
The current Roman Catholic church, built c. 1840, is dedicated to Saint Bartholomew.[6]
Agriculture, including dairy farming, provides much of the local employment.[3] The village itself has several businesses, including a petrol station, grocery shop, fast food outlet, a bus/coach transportation service, restaurant/cafe, two pubs which present live music, several hair salons and beauticians, a bakery, sign makers/printers, a veterinarian, horticultural businesses, a haulage firm, a funeral parlour and a nursing home.[citation needed]
An annual festival, known as "Hillfest", takes place during the summer and is jointly run by the local community development group and by Kildorrery GAA club.[7]
Kildorrery National School on Fermoy Road was constructed in the 1970s replacing the two-roomed "Old School", formerly known as Scart National School, which was originally built in 1847.[8] Kildorrery National School was opened in 1977, an amalgamation of Ballinguyroe and Scart National Schools. Kildorrery National School is a co-educational, Catholic primary school. There are ten full time teachers, one part time teacher and four special needs assistants in the school. As of the 2022/2023 school year, there were 195 pupils enrolled.[citation needed] Kildorrery also has a pre-school which operates from the community hall in the church grounds.[citation needed]
Volume Three - North Cork (PDF). Cork County Development Plan 2022 (Report). Cork County Council. 2022. p. 79. Retrieved 10 June 2023. "CO018". Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork. Dublin: Government Stationery Office. 2000.
"Scart, Cork". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 10 June 2023. former national school, dated 1847 [..] two-bay gable-fronted projection added c. 1870 [..] plaque on projection reads 'Scart National School 1847' [..] the school served the Kildorrery community until it was replaced in the 1970s by a new school in the village of Kildorrery