Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

Internal diam. 23.2m N-S, 25.6m E-W
This poorly preserved rath is located on a ridge of high ground overlooking the Laune river estuary to N. The interior of the site is bisected by a field boundary, while at W the only surviving section of its fosse is truncated by a second, parallel, boundary. The N and E sectors of the enclosing bank have been virtually replaced by a stone wall. The surviving bank measures 1.5m high externally, 1.8m wide and falls 1.45m to the interior. There are several gaps in it, but none appear to represent the original entrance. Traces of a shallow fosse, up to 4m wide, survive at SW.

Projecting from beneath the W side of the field boundary that bisects the site is a poorly preserved section of a curved bank that appears to represent the remains of a hut site. Drystone facing is exposed on its inner face.

An opening to a souterrain (KE056-007002-) is located adjacent to the disturbed bank of the rath at W. A stone-built lintelled passage, 3.7m long, is aligned NW-SE and measures .9m high and .8m wide on average. At its NW end is a coursed wall and this may have been the original point of entry. A creepway is located at the SE end, beyond which the passage is blocked.

The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 511. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 29 July 2013