Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, on a NW−SE ridge which borders the NE side of the River Glore valley, which is 215m to SW. There are good views to SW along the valley of damp boggy ground; elsewhere views are restricted by undulating ground, trees and field fences.
A trackway/boreen is shown skirting the rath at N−SE on the 1838 and 1919 OS 6-inch maps, associated with a cluster of vernacular houses located immediately to NE. Part of the trackway is extant at E−SE and ruins of a few of the vernacular stone cottages can still be seen.
Raised oval area (36m N−S; 31m E−W) defined by a bank/scarp, built up slightly on the S half to compensate for the natural slope. The E half is defined by a scarp, which is faced with drystone walling (H 1.2m) where it borders the trackway. The W half of the rath is defined by an earth and stone bank (Wth 1.8-2m; int. H 1.1m; ext. H 1.25m at NW) modified with stone walling to serve as a field fence.
The level grassy interior serves as a small field with a gap (Wth 2.3m) in the bank at SW allowing access from the adjoining modern rectangular field. A noticeable slump in the scarp at ESE may indicate the location of an original entrance, now concealed by the modification of the scarp in the modern era.
The rath perimeter is thickly ringed with hawthorn, blackthorn ash, willow and brambles.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 26 November 2021