Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ringfort - rath
Rathdonnell, County Mayo, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Rathdonnell
- County
- Mayo
- Country
- Ireland
- Latest-edition OS map
- Hachured
- Coordinates
- 54.13536, -9.12083
- SMR number
- MA030-043----
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 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
In undulating average pasture, located on a prominent rise, utilising the steep slopes on the W and S. There is an area of low-lying, wet ground to S-SE.
This rath is enclosed by three banks with intervening fosses. It consists of a broadly oval, raised area (40.6m E-W; 45.5m N-S) defined by an earthen bank (Wth 5.7m; int. H 0.8m; ext. H 2.9m) and enclosed by a fosse (Wth 4m) with external bank (Wth 7.7m; int. H 2.2m; ext. H 1.8m). The second fosse and outermost bank (Wth 3.4m; int. H 1.2m; ext. H 0.2m) survive in an arc at NNW−E, but are levelled elsewhere. The entrance consists of a gap (Wth 4.3m), with intermittent stone facing, in the inner bank at the E, with a ramp-like causeway across the innermost fosse, and a corresponding gap (Wth 3m) in the second bank. A slight causeway, flanked by sod-covered stones, is also evident in the second fosse, splaying outwards to a broad gap (Wth 7m) in the outermost bank.
The SW quadrant of the interior is at a slightly higher level that the rest of the interior. At the N edge of this raised area, a few meters from the enclosing bank, there is a surface depression (Diam. c. 2m; D 0.6m), possibly indicating a souterrain (MA030-043001-).
A road skirts the rath at W, truncating the outermost fosse and bank.
Another multivallate rath (MA030-041----) is located c. 200m to S, and a standing stone (MA030-044----) is located c. 500m to SE, both visible from this rath.
Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy
Date of upload: 16 April 2018
Nearby in the register
- Souterrainunder 1 mi
- Souterrainunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Standing stoneunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.