Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, located on the level top of a N–S rise. There are good views to N–NW, but views are restricted by rising ground to E, and a higher ridge blocks view of Lough Conn which is 400m to W. The rath extends across the full N–S width of a modern field.
Slightly raised subcircular area (42m E–W; 40-45m N–S) defined at NE–SE by a low earthen bank (Wth 3.6m; int. H 0.55m; ext. H 1m at SE) and at SW–NW by a scarp (ext. H 1.2m at W). At S the bank has been incorporated into a later ENE–WSW field fence. A parallel property fence cuts across the N end of the rath, and to N of this fence, the NW–NE arc (c. 18m E–W; c. 8m N–S) of the rath has been levelled, with only a slight rise in ground level indicating its former outline. Immediately to S of the field fence, two broad, corresponding breaks have been cut through the bank, one at NE (Wth 4.4m) and one at NW (Wth 4m), thus providing a routeway from one side of the field to the other through the rath interior.
The W half of the interior is at a slightly higher level than the rest. Ground surface generally in the interior is rather uneven, with concentrations of small, stony humps and bumps evident at NE and SW, and clusters of boulders at SE. In the E half, a rough, gapped line of low stones extends on an E-W axis from centre to the bank at E, possibly the remnants of an internal division. A linear depression (8.5m E–W; 4m N–S; D 0.45m) extends through the interior from the scarp at W; there are no in situ stones to suggest that this is a souterrain.
Interior is grass-covered; perimeter ringed with hawthorn trees and brambles, particularly dense on the E half

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 4 February 2020