Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

Excavation licence number 04E0938. The site of the proposed development, a bridge across the bay and a link road connecting to the Milford-Carrickart road, is located on a peninsula jutting into Mulroy Bay, close to Carrickart just off the Milford road. The closest known monument, a cashel (DG017-022----), is over 400m east of the proposed development. However, field-walking undertaken by Christopher Read of North West Archaeological Services identified a possible unrecorded 'fort' close to the proposed road-take. Probably consisting of modified natural features, the 'fort' is located just outside the road-take, 30m to the west. Due to the presence of the 'fort' and potentially associated low earthen banks to the south-east, it was recommended that the portion of the link road extending across the peninsula to the bridge should be investigated both geophysically and by test-trenches. A centre-line trench, 430m long, was excavated along the length of the road. Numerous spur trenches, 10-20m long, were also excavated to investigate particular anomalies identified through the geophysics. No evidence of archaeological activity was identified in any of the trenches (Bennett 2007, 85).

Compiled by Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload/revision: 17 November 2011