Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, located on a rise, with good views generally, in an area of gently undulating pasture and bog. The ground rises gently to NW. There is stream 70m to W, and the River Deel, which serves as the townland boundary, is less than 300m to SE.
This rath is named ‘Rath beg’ on the 1838 and 1922 OS 6-inch maps. It consists of a raised circular area (22m N-S; 23.3m E-W) defined by an earthen bank (Wth 5.4m at N; c. 4m at S; int. H 0.85m at N, 0.2m at S; ext. H 0.8m at N, 1.7m at S). The interior is level, built up higher on the S side to compensate for a natural slope. The bank is evident as a grass-covered rise, with a particularly broad external slump on the W half. It is noticeably lower and narrower (Wth 2.8m; ext. H 0.5m at NE) at NE-SE. At S-SW it has a low internal slope and is topped with sod-covered stones, and stones are also visible on the external face at S, which appear to be the result of field clearance. Grass cover, with blackthorn and brambles on the bank on the S half of the circuit. There is a rath (MA038-022001-) 130m to NNW.

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 24 July 2019