Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

On pasture, located on top of a rise in undulating terrain, with a drain/stream 60m to S. Views are good generally, most extensive to SW over a basin of lowlying ground. It is within a dispersed cluster of several raths (MA071-043----; MA071-044----; MA071-045----; MA071-048----; MA071-050----; MA071-051----; MA071-052001-; MA071-111----), all located within 200-500m of each other in the surrounding landscape.
Raised circular platform (29m N−S; 29.8m E−W) defined by an earthen scarp (H 1.6m at NE, 2m at S; Wth slope 3.2m at NE, 4.5m at SW). The scarp is high, with a broad external slump for most of the circuit. It retains a hint of an internal stony lip (Wth 1.5-1.8m) in parts on the W arc. A slight depression (Wth 2.5-3m) is evident outside the scarp at S−SW, possibly indicating a fosse.
The interior is level and grassy, with remnants of a field wall on a NE−SW axis crossing the SE edge. Slightly to NE of centre, there is an oval depression (3.8m NNE−SSW; 2.8m WNW−ESE; D 0.4m) with a slightly raised lip on its NE edge. Smaller irregular-shaped hollows extend intermittently to NNE of this for 2.5m, ending at a cluster of stones protruding from the sod close to the top edge of the rath scarp at NE. These features are of uncertain significance –they might indicate a souterrain or simply be the result of disturbance in the relatively recent past.
The rath perimeter is lightly ringed with hawthorn, brambles and gorse. There are several areas of erosion of the scarp by farm stock, especially at SE−S. A farm road on a NW−SE axis lies a few meters to NE of the rath.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 22 July 2021