Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, located on a ridge overlooking the Glore River, which lies c. 50m to S. There is a pronounced fall of ground to S and SW toward the river. The confluence of the Glore and Pollagh Rivers with the Gweestion River is 200m to NW.
This rath is shown on the 1838 OS 6-inch map as a circular, embanked enclosure (diam. 35-40m), with 'Caves' marked in the NW quadrant and a vernacular rectangular house truncating the NE edge. It is not shown on the later map edition maps but the house and an associated rectangular field are shown.
It has been levelled. The faint outline of a circular area (32m N–S; c. 25–30m E–W) can still be traced. It is most clearly defined at NE−SW where the levelled scarp merges with the natural slope. There is a slight surface depression (diam. c. 5m) in the S half which may be evidence of an underlying souterrain (MA071-167002-). There is an accumulation of field clearance stone at the base of an ash tree growing on the perimeter of the enclosure at the SW. Amongst the stones is a large slab, which may be a displaced souterrain lintel.
A hawthorn bush grows on the N edge of the rath. A pronounced hollow abutting the NE of the rath marks the original location of the vernacular house shown on the OS 6-inch maps. There is another rath (MA071-168----) 45m to SE and another (MA071-166----) 140m to NNE –both are levelled.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 23 September 2021