Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ringfort - rath
Lissanearla East, County Kerry, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Lissanearla East
- County
- Kerry
- Country
- Ireland
- Coordinates
- 52.31452, -9.66913
- SMR number
- KE021-126----
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 40m N-S, 41.4m E-W
Lissanearla/Lios an Iarla (ringfort of the earl). This univallate rath is situated on rising land and has a commanding view of the surrounding countryside. It consists of a circular area enclosed by a well defined bank and exterior fosse. The enclosing earthen bank is on average 8m wide at the base. It rises to a maximum of 3m above the interior and 1.6m above the fosse. The U-shaped external fosse encloses the whole site. It is 1.6m wide and on average 1.1m deep. The entrance would appear to lie to the SE and is c 7m wide. The interior is at a higher level than the surrounding land, and in the centre are the clear foundations of a sub-rectangular house-site (KE021-126001-). According to tradition, the Earl of Desmond took refuge here as he sought to avoid defeat in the Desmond Wars of the 1580s.
The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 770. 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
- House - indeterminate dateunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Enclosureunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.