Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, on the S outskirts of Kiltimagh town, located on a natural rise with good views over a broad sweep of lowlying, gently undulating pasture and bog.
A raised circular area (33.3m NW–SE; 32m NE–SW) defined by an earthen scarp (H 1.3-1.5, Wth of slope 2-2.5m at SW; H 2m, Wth of slope 3.3.5m at NE) which retains a slight internal lip on the SW arc. A section of the scarp at W–NW is incorporated into a later field fence, and other sections of the scarp also show evidence of modification where the external face has been cut to the vertical or retains traces of stone facing. A poorly defined ramp-like slope (Wth 2m) in the scarp at ENE may be the site of the original entrance.
A property fence crosses the interior roughly centrally on a NW-SE axis. In the centre of the interior, abutting the NE face of the fence, is a very slight D-shaped rise (11m NW–SE; 4m NE–SW), defined on the straight side by the fence. Abutting the opposing, SW side, of the fence there is a D-shaped depression (5.7m NW–SE; 2m NE-SW; D 0.3m). The significance of these features is unclear.
The interior is grassy, and the perimeter is ringed with blackthorn and hawthorn, with some blackthorn scrub encroaching on the SW half of the interior.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 30 November 2021