Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In improved pasture, on a low ridge at the break of slope on the NE side where ground falls to the banks of the Trimoge River 40m to NE. Ground rises in gently undulations to SW. There are good views along the river valley and of the rising slopes on the opposite side of the river.
Slightly raised circular area (27m NW−SE; c. 25m NE−SW) defined by an earthen bank (Wth 3m; int. H 0.8m; ext. H 1.3m, at SE) with internal stone facing, outside which it is enclosed at NE−SW by a fosse (Wth 2-3m), with remnants of a stony external bank/counterscarp (Wth 1.4m; int. H 0.4m; ext. H 0.2m, at SE) on the E arc.
The inner bank is poorly preserved, with much stone tumble on its slopes, especially at NNE. The fosse is evident as a shallow depression for much of the circuit, best defined at SW−NW (ext. D 0.65m), but it takes the form of a stony terrace on the downslope side of the rath at NE. The outer bank is intermittent and poorly preserved.
The interior has a slope down from centre to NE−E. Close to the bank at N a slightly raised stony area is evident beneath overgrowth, and a loose jumble of large stones is piled close to the inner face of the bank in the S sector.
There is no clearly defined entrance gap –it may have been at NE or at E where the interior slopes down gently towards low sections in the inner bank.
The rath is thickly ringed with hawthorn, blackthorn and hazel trees. There is considerable erosion by farm stock.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 24 September 2021