Barrow - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

Located at the summit of a NW-SE ridge with the ground falling away steeply SE-W which exaggerates dimensions in this area. This is a raised and grass-covered circular platform (diam. 42m NE-SW; 40m NNW-SSE) defined by a fosse (Wth of top 8.5m at NE to 14m at SW; Wth of base 1-3m; int. D 2.5m at NE to 5.7m at SW; ext. D 1.4m at SW to 2m at NE) from an outer earthen bank (at NE: Wth of base 7m; ext. H 1.8m; at SW: Wth 8m; ext. H 3.2m) S-W-NE. The fosse and bank have been removed by ancient quarrying E-S. There is a second external fosse (at NE: Wth of top 9.5m; Wth of base 2m; ext. D 0.4m; at SW: Wth of top 9m; ext. D 1m) SSW-W-NE and a second external bank (at SW: Wth of base 5m; ext. H 1.8m) outside the inner bank SSE-WNW. A large grass-covered quarry (diam. of top 11m NE-SW; diam. of base 4m; D 2.1m) has been excavated at the centre of the platform with the grass-covered upcast forming a bank (ext. H 0.6-1.1m) around its edge (ext. diam. 20m NE-SW). There is a ramp entrance through the inner (Wth of base 9m) and outer (Wth of base 3.5m) banks with causeways across the inner (Wth of top 2.3m; H 1.25m) and outer (Wth of top 3.2m; H 1.1m) fosses and onto the platform at WNW, but this is probably a modern entrance (max. ext. diam. c. 87m NE-SW). This is a large barrow of the stepped variety.

This earthwork is likely to be the Dun Cuair of the annals which was on the borders of Meath and Leinster. In AD 799 Áed Oirnidhe, of the Cenél nEógan Uí Neill, marched on Dun Cuair with the clergy of the north of Ireland, who were so disgruntled that they won an exemption from attendance at any future military excursions (AFM). In AD 800 and again in AD 815 the same Áed Oirnidhe went to Dun Cuar and made a settlement that divided Leinster between contending parties (AFM). (Wilde 1849, 74-5)

Archaeological testing (05E0627) by R. Meenan immediately to the S but on the other side of a public road that circumscribes the monument E-S produced evidence of a ditch (Wth of top 1.4m plus; D 1.1m plus) close to the road, and a spread of burnt clay overlying the subsoil. The ditch was filled with a brown clay and produced some bone but no artefacts, and neither a date nor context can be ascribed to it (excavation.ie 2005:1236).

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of revision: 13 August 2019
Amended: 16 February 2021, 24 March 2023

References

AFM - Annals of the kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters from the earliest period to the year 1616, ed. and trans. John O'Donovan (7 vols., Dublin, 1851; reprint New York, 1966)

Wilde, W. 1849 The beauties of the Boyne and its tributary, the Blackwater. Dublin. McGlashan.