Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, encompassing the top of a low hill overlooking Curragh Lough, which lies c. 30m to SE. Another lake, Cullentragh Lough, is c. 250m to NW, with much of the intervening boggy land between it and the rath now under forestry.
Circular platform (44.8m N–S; 46.9m E–W) defined by a scarp (H 2.2m at N; 2m at S) topped with a low internal lip (Wth 1.2m), with an intermittent inner stone kerb of large stones surviving SW–NW.
The external face of the scarp is quite vertical, with remnants of stone facing to a height of 1.4m at SE−NW, suggesting relatively recent modification. This is most likely related to a laneway, which is shown skirting the W half of the rath on the 1838 OS 6-inch map but is not shown on later editions.
A broad berm-like terrace (Wth 6.6m) defined by a vertical external scarp (H 1.6m) curves around the rath at NW–NE, intersecting with later field fences at N and NE, possibly preserving the line of a fosse and outer bank. A slight terrace is also apparent SE–SW merging with a natural contour.
The entrance may have been at ESE where the enclosing scarp (H 1.4m) is low and slumped and faces the side of the hill with the gentlest slope. The interior has a gently domed profile, with the highest point slightly N of centre and a gradual slope down, more marked at E, from there towards the enclosing scarp.
Grass cover. The forestry plantation comes to within 5m of the NE arc of the rath.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 11 March 2022