Ford

The National Monuments Service's description

In gently undulating low-lying pasture, 115m W of Monaster Bridge (LI031-009001-) and 315m SE of the Cistercian Abbey of Monasteranenagh (LI031-050004-). Crossing point over the Camoge River which forms a townland boundary between Ballymacsradeen East and Monaster North. Annotated ‘Weir’ on the 1840 ed. OSi 6-inch map, changed to ‘Ford of the Chariot of Fergus’ on the Cassini ed. OSi 6-inch map. Described by Westropp (1920, 372, 373 & 375) as; ‘An ancient roadway’ (LI031-010001-) leads from a fording point on the Camoge River, to a pair of conjoined ringforts (LI031-010002-), the latter which he refers to as the assembly place of the Óenach Cairbre. According to Westropp (1920, 373) the ford marks an earlier crossing point known as ‘The Ford of the Chariots of Fergus’. Fording point over the Camoge River named after Fergus Mac Roig, a hero of the Red Branch (Westropp 1919, 18). Westropp (1919, 19) described this site as follows; 'Driving eastward and southward, we reach the ford on the Cammoge to the S.E. of Tory Hill. The ford is too wide to be defended even by a single hero, unlike the ford held by Cu Chulaind in the Tain bo Cualnge. The place where Fergus stood back from the direct road commanded the stretch of the ford from the slightly rising ground at the conjoined cairns. The Abbey bridge and old mill mark the shallow on the Cammoge. Whether the conjoined rings[LI031-010002-] formed the Ceann duin Asail, or Head-fort of Asail, is probable but uncertain. Asal and Magh nAsail are King-forts in the Book of Rights.'

Compiled by: Fiona Rooney

Date of upload: 22 March 2021

References

Westropp, T.J. 1919 The ancient places of assembly in the counties Limerick and Clare. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 49, 1-24.

Westropp, T.J. 1920 The assembly-place of ´Oenach Cairbre and Síd Asail at Monasteranenagh, County Limerick. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 35C, 363-77.