Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In sharply undulating, average to wettish pasture, located on a rise, overlooked by a higher ridge to SE–S. Ground falls away to N for c. 70m to a stream, which marks the townland boundary.
Slightly raised, roughly circular area (50.7m E–W; 49m N–S) defined by an earthen bank (Wth 2.6m; int. H 0.1m; ext. H 0.85m). At NW–E the bank is low internally, but has a well defined external slope, with stones protruding intermittently in parts. At SE it is reduced to a low scarp; this peters out at S, where bank appears to have been levelled and is replaced by a later linear NE−SW field fence, faced with drystone walling. At SW–W the bank is incorporated into, or modified to serve as a field fence, which is faced with stone and respects the curve of the rath.
The interior of the rath is slightly higher in the NW quadrant, sloping gently from there towards the S. There are four sod-covered heaps of field clearance stones (max. dim. 3-5m; H 0.6m) in the W half of the interior. A large boulder (max. dim. c. 2m) lies against the inner face of the rath bank at NE. The NE quadrant is partly marked off by a low, degraded bank/scarp (H 0.45m at E side), which extends in in a shallow arc from the rath bank at N for c. 12m to SE where it ends in an expanded terminal (Wth 2.5m; H 0.45m on W side, 0.8m on E side), which incorporates a boulder. The SE quadrant is also defined by an internal division in the form of a low, curving stony bank (Wth 1.7m; H c. 0.4m), which extends N from the rath bank at S and then curves sharply to E. It skirts closely around what appears to be a roughly circular, slightly raised area (diam. c. 7m), which could not be examined closely due to a dense overgrowth of blackthorn, brambles and elder.
There is a holy well (MA031-043) 150m to NE.

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 19 June 2018