Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

Internal diam. 33m N-S, 32m E-W
This univallate rath is perched on the edge of the steep meander scarp that forms the W bank of the Finglas river at this point, close to Baslickane bridge. It was shown on the first edition of the OS map as a circular enclosure, but the E part of the site has now fallen into the river. A modern stone wall surmounts the surviving earthen bank, which is U-shaped in plan, and there is considerable silting-up of the external fosse at N. The bank and fosse are excellently preserved at W and S; at S the bank is 1.7m high internally, 6m high externally and 4m wide at base, and the fosse is 4.5m wide and 1.8m in depth below external ground level. An entrance gap is located at S and measures 3.5m wide. The interior of the site is densely overgrown. A number of slabs set on edge within it form no recognisable pattern.

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

Date of upload: 28 July 2013