Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

This leveled enclosure was discovered in the course of archaeological investigations undertaken in advance of the construction of the M6 motorway and the following account is derived from the published report (Mullins 2014). Situated on the eastern flank of the hill, the enclosure overlay and slighted the outermost fosses of the earlier hillfort (GA086-211001-). Interpreted as a small ringfort (Mullins 2014, 112) it was defined by a narrow fosse, about 2m wide and 1.25m deep and was c. 32m in diameter. There was no surviving evidence for a bank. The entrance was towards the west, facing the ringfort (GA086-211----) and enclosure (GA086-211003-) on the hill summit, 180m distant. There were a few curvilinear gullies and some small pits in the interior, but no clear evidence for buildings or hearths. The recovered food waste included animal bones and plant remains (charred grains of oats and barley in the fosse). Cattle dominated the animal bones, with red deer, sheep, horse, pig and dog also present. The deer bones included both shed antlers and butchered bones. A miscellany of artefacts from the fosse contributes to the impression of a prosperous homestead of some sort. The finds were a base metal finger-ring, a glass 'melon bead', iron knife blades and bone comb fragments. Charcoal from the fosse was dated to AD 680-890 (Wk-22638) and this corresponded with a date of AD 680-880 (Wk-22640) for charcoal from a pit in the interior. The burial of a woman of 36-45 years was found in the fosse and the remains dated to AD 890-1030 (Bcta-241478). It is suggested (Mullins 2014, 112) that the enclosure had already gone out of use by the time this burial took place.

Compiled by: Paul Walsh

Date of upload: 11 November 2015

References

Mullins, G. 2014 A hillfort, ringforts and field system at Rahally. In McKeon,J. and O'Sullivan, J. (eds) The quite landscape. Archaeological investigations on the M6 Galway to Ballinasloe national road scheme. Dublin. National Roads Authority.