Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

Gortlissaline: This circular rath is located in upland pasture on the S slopes of Bentee, overlooking the Oghermong river valley. It is bounded along its NW sector by a ravine through which a tributary of the Oghermong flows, and elsewhere it is enclosed by a bank, an external fosse and possibly an outer bank. The latter is extant only at NE, where it rises .9m above the base of the fosse. The flat-bottomed fosse is best preserved from N to SE and measures 3.8m wide. The inner bank rises a maximum of 2.4m above the fosse at S, and varies in height from .45m to 1.1m above the interior. It has an average basal width of 3.6m and is composed of earth and gravel. Its inner flank is faced with a series of upright slabs at S, and some drystone masonry is preserved on either side of the eroded, 3.8m wide, entrance gap at SE. A causeway crosses the fosse at this point.

The uneven interior of the rath features scatterings of loose stone. A low stony mound located in the NW quadrant may be the remains of a collapsed hut (KE079-070001-), with a possible entrance at E. It measures 8m in overall diameter.

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. 525. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 29 July 2013