Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ringfort - rath
Athea Upper, County Limerick, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Athea Upper
- County
- Limerick
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Dotted outline, Killeen Grave Yard
- Latest-edition OS map
- Hachured, Killeen Childrens Burial Gd.
- Coordinates
- 52.45493, -9.31338
- SMR number
- LI034-001001-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1753 "Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Possible ringfort reused as a children's burial ground (LI034-001----). In pasture, on N-facing slope. Egg-shaped area (broad end to W; 50m E-W; 36m N-S) enclosed by broad eroded earthen bank (H c. 0.6m; Wth c. 8m) with external fosse SW->NW (D 0.3m; Wth 2.4m). Field boundary truncates enclosing bank at narrowest point to E. Interior slopes down gently towards centre; no visible surface trace of burials or burial markers.
In 1838 the Ordnance Survey Name Books recorded that in the townland of Athea Upper. A large fort, in which children, who die without baptism, are buried (LI034-001-)' (OSNB Rathronan Parish, 1482).
Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of upload: 20 May 2019
See attached ASI aerial photograph ASIAP – taken on 04/03/2006.
References
ASIAP - Archaeological Survey of Ireland Aerial Photographs (c. 1996 - c. 2010).
Nearby in the register
- Children's burial groundunder 1 mi
- Ritual site - holy wellunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rath1 mi
- Ringfort - rath2 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.