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Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland

Burial

Raheennamadra, County Limerick, Ireland

Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1915) covering the location of Burial, Raheennamadra, County Limerick, with a pin at the register's coordinates
Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1915), covering this location. Courtesy of the National Library of Scotland. The pin is ours, placed from the register's coordinates.

The record

Townland
Raheennamadra
County
Limerick
Country
Ireland
First-edition OS map
Not indicated
Latest-edition OS map
Not indicated
Coordinates
52.41909, -8.39191
SMR number
LI041-013021-

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

4 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1790 map "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

Historical maps covering this location

  • 1790 · Composite: Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1882 · Ireland (southern half). (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1891 · Ireland 16 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1904 · Sheet 13. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

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This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture in an area known locally as Óenach Clochar, 115m E of townland boundary with Mitchelstowndown North. Westropp (1917-19, 67) described the Óenach Clochar as an ancient Celtic landscape and likened it to Tara, Telltown and Brugh na Bóinne in Co. Meath, and nearby Knockainey Hill, Co. Limerick. Ringfort (LI041-013011-) excavated by Marten Stenberger in 1966 and the remains of a hut site (LI041-013019-), souterrain (LI041-013020-) and burials (LI041-013021-) were uncovered.
Excavations by Stenberger (1966, 38) were undertaken in about four-fifths of the enclosure (LI041-013011-), and in addition, three sections were cut through the bank and the fosse to the west, east and south. Excavations in the centre of the interior revealed a possible round hut (LI041-013019-) with entrance at NW and a hearth (II) with a date of 1430±130 = A.D. 520. A souterrain (LI041-013020-) was revealed in the S abutting the inside of the bank, orientated NNW-SSE. A hearth (III) was revealed during excavation in the S of the souterrain contained finds of a iron leather-scorer, animal bones and bone combs. Radiocarbon dates from postholes at the entrance of the souterrain dated to 1430±130 = AD 520 and 1260±120 = AD 690. Two skeletons were revealed to the NE of the souterrain, orientated NNE-SSW, both had an iron knife blade to the right of the skulls'. Ringfort clearly visible on Digital Globe orthoimage taken between 2011-13 and on Google Earth orthoimages.

See attached plan of ringfort and photograph of souterrain and burial taken from Stenberger (1966), and Google Earth orthoimage

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 4 August 2021

References

Stenberger, M. 1966 A ringfort at Raheenamadra, Knocklong, Co. Limerick. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 65C, 37-54.

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Sites and Monuments Record data: National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Record text is reproduced unchanged. National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland · CC BY 4.0
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