Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

This truncated rath, probably originally oval or circular in plan, survives as a slightly raised, roughly semicircular area (c. 50m E–W; c. 30m N–S bank to road) defined at W−NE by an arc of bank (Wth 1.7-3m; int. H 0.25-0.5m; ext. H 0.6-0.85m). The bank is of earth and stone, with an external kerb of large stones in parts at W–N. The stone kerb may be a later modification. At NW–NNE the bank has a stepped profile. At NE-E the bank has been replaced by a N–S post and wire fence which borders a residential property. The S portion of the rath is truncated by the E–W Ballindine-Irishtown road (R328). According to local information, there is a souterrain (MA112-045001) in the W half of the interior.

In 2001 during archaeological monitoring (01E0314) of pipe-laying on the on the Lough Mask Regional Water Supply Scheme (2001-2002), two shallow cuts (max. Wth 2.85m; max. D 1m), c. 30m apart, were exposed in section in the pipe trench (Wth c. 1m) at a depth of c. 1m below road level (Guinan 2015, 126-127). The pipe trench was located on the S side of the E-W Ballindine-Irishtown road (R328), which truncates the S side of the rath, and the cuts were interpreted as the surviving basal sections of the enclosing fosse on the S side of the rath (MA112-045----). Both features were recorded and preserved in situ. Radiocarbon analysis of a sample of charcoal taken from the base of the E cut produced a date of 115 +/- 50 BP (780-1020 AD calibrated) (Guinan ibid., 126-127). In 2002 further evidence of the enclosing elements of the rath were uncovered during road-widening adjacent to the rath (Guinan 2010, 319-320, no. 1224; 2015, 127). A narrow strip (3m N−S; 40m E−W) of land was excavated parallel to, and immediately N of, the E-W road. Evidence for two fosses were uncovered, one internal to the rath bank, and the other external. The internal fosse (Wth 3.6m; D 1.9m) had a V-shaped cut which was filled with alternate layers of stones and silt. The external fosse (Wth 1.9m; D 2.05m) had vertical sides and a flat base that sloped to S. A shallow, subcircular pit (1.65m E−W; 0.85m N−S; D 0.25m) was also uncovered, containing layers of heat reddened clay, charcoal and burnt timber fragments. Finds recovered during the excavation included a perforated stone bead, several lithics, and animal bones (Guinan 2010, 319-320, no. 1224).

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 11 April 2016

References

Guinan, B. 2014 Archaeological investigations on the Ballyhaunis Water Supply Augmentation Scheme in county Mayo. Excavations in Devlis and Hazelhill. Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society 66, 1-14

Guinan, B. 2010 Carrowlough and Lisduff. Ringfort. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2007: Summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 319-320, no. 1224. Dublin. Wordwell.