Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, on rising ground overlooking expanses of wet, boggy ground to S–SE, and with views of higher ground to N.
Slightly raised oval area (34.5m N–S; 40.8m E–W) defined by a scarp (H 1.6m), outside which it is enclosed by a fosse (Wth 3.5m at N, 4m at S) with remnants at SE–NE of an external bank (Wth 2.9m at N, 3.5m at S; int. H 1.1m; ext. H 0.5m). The enclosing scarp has a relatively vertical face which may be the result of relatively recent modification. The external bank has been adapted to serve as a field fence at SE–NW, and traces of stone facing are evident in parts.
The original entrance may have been at ESE where there is a low gap (Wth 2.2m) in the scarp and a hint of a causeway across the fosse.
The rath interior is grassy, flat and featureless; the perimeter is ringed with hazel and hawthorn trees. Cultivation ridges on a N–S axis are visible to N of the rath in the same field.
Knox (1908, 110; 1911, 230) recorded that name of this rath as ‘Lisnacartha (Lis of the Artisans)’. Two raths (MA092-029----; MA092-030----) are located c. 250m to S and c. 260m to SE, respectively.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 23 February 2022

References

Knox, H.T. 1911 Some Connacht Raths and Motes. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 41, 205-40, 301-42.

Knox, H.T. 1908 The History of the County of Mayo to the close of the 17th century. Dublin.