Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, located the gentle SE-facing slope of a low N-S elevation, with good views over the surrounding in undulating terrain. There is a stream 150m to W.
This rath is named ‘Cloonkee Fort’ on the 1838 and 1922 OS 6-inch maps. It consists of a raised circular area (diam. 30m E-W) defined by a bank (Wth 3.3m; int. H 1.1m; ext. H 1.4m, at SE) of earth and stone. On the W half the bank has a low, narrow stony internal rim, but a substantial vertically cut, stone-faced external slope; the stone facing appears to be the result of the incorporation of the rath into a later field fence which merges with the rath at W-SW, and extends beyond the rath to SE. Remnants of another field fence, on a N-S axis, slights the external slope of the bank at NE-E. There is an eroded break (Wth 1m) in the bank at SE. A slight linear rise/bank, incorporating a large boulder towards its W end, extends across the centre of the interior; it may be a remnant of field bank. There is a shallow subcircular depression (diam. c. 8m), probably an old quarry pit, immediately outside the bank at W. The perimeter is thickly ringed by blackthorn and brambles, which also encroach on the interior. Another rath (MA038-103----) is located 140m to N.

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 6 August 2019