Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ringfort - rath
Ballyhemikin, County Kerry, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Ballyhemikin
- County
- Kerry
- Country
- Ireland
- Coordinates
- 52.38114, -9.74987
- SMR number
- KE015-094----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1753 "Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Internal diameter 28m N-S, 29m E-W
Situated W of KE015-093---- and marked as a circular enclosure on the 1841-42 OS map, the site only appears as a curve in the fieldbank on the 1916 edition. A fieldbank runs along the NE side and cuts through the exterior fosse; another fieldbank touches the site slightly on the W side. Though somewhat levelled, this site is still quite distinguishable. A univallate rath, it consists of a circular area enclosed by a low, wide earthen bank and traces of an exterior fosse to the W through N to NE. The enclosing bank is 1.4m high externally and .7m on average internally and on average 8m wide at the base. The surviving fosse is 1.4m-2.6m wide and .6m deep. The interior is at a higher level than the surrounding land, and in the centre is a small mound, 2m x 2.6m internally. About 2m SE of this rath is another small mound, 1.8m x 3.6m, which could be connected to the fort.
The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 529. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload: 2 August 2013
Nearby in the register
- Moundunder 1 mi
- Moundunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.