Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

Internal diam. c. 27m
A univallate rath situated about 200m W of the previous example, on the low-lying land S of Smerwick Harbour. The E portion of the bank has been removed and this side is now bounded by a straight field fence running NW-SE. The present enclosure is therefore semi-circular in plan and measures 27m NNW-SSE and 20.5m NE-SW internally. The earthen enclosing bank is c. 1.5m high externally, 3.05m wide at base and from a few cms to .35m high internally. The S section is narrower and more regular than the remainder and appears to be composed mainly of stone; it may be secondary. There is a 2m wide gap at SW. There is a faint suggestion of an external fosse to W and SW. This is 2m wide and only a few cms deep. The only visible feature in the interior is a stone, 1.25m long x .3m high, standing upright in the E sector with possibly a 2nd stone to S of it, now buried. The origin of these is not clear. On the 2nd edition of the OS map, a small structure is marked in the destroyed ESE portion of the site. This does not survive and its function is not known.

The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 411. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 7 August 2013