Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, located on a rise, with good views, especially to S−SW over an extensive sweep of flat bog. A narrow N−S by-road, flanked by field fences, lies immediately to E of the rath.
Circular platform (33.4m N–S; 31m E–W) defined by an earthen scarp (H 1.6m at NE, 1.3m at SW), and enclosed on the W half by remnants of a fosse (Wth c. 4m), and two external banks with an intervening second fosse. The innermost fosse is evident as a shallow depression. The bank (Wth 3-3.5m; int. H 0.15- 0.6m; ext. H 0.9-1.3m) on its outer edge is low but quite well defined. A gap/fosse (Wth 2-3m) separates this bank from the remnants of the outermost bank (Wth c. 3-3.3m; int. H 0.5m; ext. H 0.8m). These enclosing elements are extant at SW–NNW; slight undulations on the N and S arcs may preserve their outline, but on the E arc they are truncated by the N–S road.
There is an eroded gap (Wth 1.4m) in the scarp at SE, but it is unclear if this indicates an original entrance. The interior appears higher in the NW quadrant and centre, with a slight slope from there to S–SE. The interior was used as a children’s burial ground (MA082-001002-); several low upright stones in the W half of the interior and a roughly rectangular setting (3m NE–SW; 0.8m NW–SE) of upright slabs at the NW terminal of the outermost bank may mark graves. The rath interior is covered in long grass and ferns; the perimeter is ringed by hawthorn, blackthorn and hazel trees.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 10 December 2021