Ceremonial enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated surrounding the summit of Friarstown or Tara Hill (Condit and Kelly 1998) in rolling pasture with good views in all directions. Sub-oval area (c. 165m E-W; 157m N-S) defined by a scarped edge (Wth 6m; H 1.1m) and enclosed by a fosse (Wth 1.5m) and an external bank (int. H 0.1m; Wth 2.5m; ext. H 0.3m). The hill slopes down evenly from the centre towards the scarp apart from in the E where the slope is slightly sheerer. A bank of piled-up rubble lies just outside the external bank in the SSE near to an oval depression which appears to have been quarried, possibly in antiquity. There is a limekiln set into the scarp in the NW and a ramp of stones lies across the fosse immediately to the NE of the limekiln. According to Kelly and Condit (1998) this monument is one of two 'best interpreted as henges'; the other is LI013-089----. Outline of monument visible on oblique aerial photographs (CUCAP AVT001/002/003) taken 20/07/1968.
This monument was recently described in the Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland as following; 'Contour fort situated on the low-domed hill shoulder of an isolated hill, 7.5km S of Limerick City. The hillfort has a total site footprint of 2.1ha. There are extensive views to the N, E and S. Views to the W are blocked by the summit of Friarstown Hill. Immediately to the SW is a second hillfort on the low-domed summit of Friarstown Hill (Atlas No.0682). The enclosing elements comprise a pair of closely set banks with an intervening ditch. The outer bank is probably a counterscarp feature. There are no recorded entrance features. No evidence for any internal features on the surface. Extensive plough damage had denuded the enclosing elements, which survive best to the SE and SW. Kelly and Condit (1998, 19) has suggested that this is a large henge monument. However, the commanding position of the monument and the layout of its enclosing elements suggest that it is more likely a hillfort type monument. First identified by the Cambridge University Committee for aerial photography. Site visit by Kelly and Condit (1998) who partly recorded the enclosing elements.' (http://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk/records/IR0683.html)

Compiled by: Denis Power

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 30 January 2020

References

Kelly, E.P. and Condit, T. 1998 Limerick's Tara. Archaeology Ireland 12 (2), 18-22.

CUCAP - Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Unit for Landscape Modelling, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge. See:https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com

Lock, G. and Ralston, I. 2017 Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland.(Online website at https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk)