Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, straddling the highest point on a small NE−SW ridge, which provides extensive views in all directions, with a stream 100m to NW, Lough Brohly 700m to SW, and the rising slopes of the Ox Mountains to E. The surrounding terrain is a mix of pasture, broken by rocky outcrops, and expanses of bog.
Slightly raised circular area (48.5m N−S; 48.6m E−W) defined by a sod-covered stone bank (Wth 2.2m; int. H 0.3m at NW, 0.8m at NE; ext. H 1.5m at NW, 1.2 at NE). The rath has been incorporated into a system of later field walls: the stone bank is topped with a later field wall (Wth 0.8-1m), and field walls radiate from it to NW, SE, S and SW.
The interior has a gentle slope down from centre to S−SE. Current access is through a gap (Wth 1.6m) in the stone bank at SSW, flanked on the W side by a later field wall, but it is not clear if this is an original entrance.
A partly stone-faced scarp (H 1.5m at W) curves around the rath at SSW−WNW. It merges with the rath perimeter at SSW but arcs out to a distance of 5-6m from the stone bank at WNW. It is possible that it incorporates remnants of an outer enclosing bank, but it may simply be a relatively recent scarping of the natural ridge slope.
Clumps of blackthorn and brambles ring the perimeter. Another rath (MA040-062) is located 200m to NE on the same ridge top---- ridge, and is visible from this one.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 8 June 2020