Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

Internal diam. 30.7m N-S, 29m E-W
This circular univallate rath is located in boggy pasture on the E side of the Tahilla river valley. The site affords an extensive view to S over Kenmare Bay to the Beara Peninsula beyond. The bank is considerably disturbed and for a short stretch at S it is level with the interior. It survives best at E, where it measures 1.05m high internally, 2.45m high externally and is 4.95m wide at base. A 2m long stretch of stone facing, .65m high, revets its inner face at ENE. A 1.6m wide gap at E appears to be secondary. Slight traces of an external fosse surround the site from NE to SW. It is 2.45m wide and .8m deep below external ground level.

Old cultivation ridges traverse the interior of the site, where a centrally located low mound features a rectangular depression at its W side. The mound may represent a hut site (KE100-005002-) and the depression, which measures 5.4m x 2m x 1m deep, may indicate the presence of a collapsed souterrain (KE100-005003-).

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

Date of upload: 29 July 2013