Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, on top of a ridge, close to the break of slope on the NE side.
Roughly circular area (diam. c. 25m) enclosed by an earth and stone bank. The bank forms a substantial embankment (Wth 3.4-5m; int. H 0.3m; ext. H 1.7m) at NE−SE, enhanced by the natural fall of ground. On the W arc the bank is narrower and more compact (Wth 2.7m; int. H 0.9m; ext. H 1.35m) and on the N arc it narrows further (Wth 1.4m) and the external face is quite vertical with traces of stones facing –this appears to be due to the incorporation of the rath into later field banks. The rath appears to be built up slightly on the NE side to compensate for the natural fall of ground. There is a break (Wth 3.4m) in the bank at NW. The interior is fairly level; the NE quadrant is engulfed in brambles and blackthorn scrub, and blackthorn scrub is encroaching in parts on the rest of the interior. Field clearance stones are piled against the rath on the E side. A field fence on a NNE−SSW axis crosses the rath slightly to SE of centre.
There are raths (MA071-155----; MA071-157----; MA071-158----) 80m to W, 50m to NE and 92m to SE, respectively.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 14 September 2021