Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, straddling a rise on a ridge, with the Pollagh River 380m to W.
Slightly raised circular area (diam. c. 40m) defined by an earthen bank. The bank is difficult to examine due to dense overgrowth. It is substantial at SE−S (Wth 3m; int. H 0.45m; H 1.8m at SE) with a steep external slope, which is faced with drystone walling where it has been incorporated into a later field wall. It also appears substantial at NNW (Wth 3-4m; int. H 1-1.2m; ext. H 1.6m), but at NE−E it is low, narrow and degraded, with a few large stones protruding on its inner edge. It is particularly low on the E arc, which may have been the site of an original entrance, though no clearly defined gap is evident now. In parts, stones can be seen along the top of the bank.
A souterrain (MA071-171002-) is indicated as ‘Cave’ in the NW quadrant of the rath on the 1838 OS 6-inch map. A roughly-built drystone field wall (Wth 0.6m; H 0.5) crosses the centre of the interior on a NNW−SSE axis. The bank is ringed with hawthorn trees and brambles, and brambles have encroached on the interior, particularly in the NW quadrant. There are raths (MA071-172----; MA071-170----; MA071-164----; MA071-165----) 140m to SSE, 280m to SW, 275m to NW and 280m to NNW, respectively.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 23 September 2021