Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ringfort - rath
Gortboy, County Kerry, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Gortboy
- County
- Kerry
- Country
- Ireland
- Latest-edition OS map
- Hachured
- Coordinates
- 52.05131, -9.69996
- SMR number
- KE065-089----
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 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
On the seccond edition of the OS map this site is depicted as a circular bivallate enclosure, the outer bank of which was shown around the N sector of the site only. The original line of the S sector of this bank, however, is reflected in the strong curvature of the modern field boundary. The site was completely levelled during the 1950s, and no visible trace remains. It was located N of Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, W of the Gaddagh river.
Cooke records that both banks were of earth and stone construction (1906, 10). The outer bank varied in height from 3 feet (1.1m) to 6 feet (1.8m) above external ground level, and the intervening fosse averaged 16 feet (4.9m) wide.The inner bank was up to 10 feet (3m) wide. The internal diameter of the rath was 120 feet (36.6m) N-S.Towards the centre of the site's interior was a poorly preserved, circular stone structure, 20 feet (6.1m) in diameter. From this structure, which may have been a hut site (KE065-089001-), a low bank extended towards the site's enclosing element at E.
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. 675. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload: 29 July 2013
Nearby in the register
- Hut siteunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Souterrainunder 1 mi
- Rock artunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.