Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

On a low hill in undulating uncleared marshy pasture, to the NE of disused farmyard; lazybeds are visible in the adjoining fields. Hachured and named ‘Clooney Fort’ on the 1840 and 1916 eds. of the OS 6-inch maps. Listed as ‘enclosure’ in the RMP (1996).
A subcircular rath (30m N-S; 23m E-W) defined from NE to WSW by two earthen banks and an intervening fosse. The N extent of the site has been levelled and is reduced to a gently sloping scarp (H c. 0.5m). The inner bank (Wth 4m at base; max. int. H 0.25; ext. H 1.65m) is best preserved along SW and is steep sided with a rounded top. The fosse (Wth 2.8m) is waterlogged and overgrown with rushes and reeds. It is also best preserved at SW and is crossed by a causeway at SE that appears to be a later feature. The outer bank (Wth 2-2.9m at base; int. H 0.75-1.8m; ext. H 0.35-1.2m) is well preserved but is incorporated into later field boundaries. Multiple cattle gaps (Wth c. 0.5m) cut through both banks. The interior is overgrown with reeds and slopes gently to the N.

The following image has been uploaded: CL016-107----_01.jpg View from SW

Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Lynda McCormack

Date of upload: 28 June 2022

References

Record of Monuments and Places as established under Section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, County Clare. Issued by National Monuments and Historic Properties Service 1996. Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands.