Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

On a slight rise in a low-lying landscape. Circular grass and rush-covered area (diam. 52.7m E-W; 51.8m N-S) defined by three earthen banks and intervening fosses which are barely perceptible W of a N-S field wall which lies just W of the centre of the enclosure. The inner bank (Wth 2.4-3.3m; int. H 0.1-0.5m; ext. H 0.6-0.8m) is separated by a fosse (Wth of top 5.1-5.6m; Wth of base 3.7-4.6m; D 0.3m at N to 1.4m at E) from a flat-topped earthen bank (Wth of base 3-4.2m; Wth of top 1.6-2.1m; ext. H 0.6-0.9m). This is surrounded by a fosse (Wth of base 2.5-3.7m; D 0.1m generally to 0.6m at E) and outer bank (Wth of base 2.6-3.1m; ext. H 0.1-0.3m), which is missing SSE-S. There is a modernised entrance through the inner (Wth 3m), central (Wth 5m) and outer (Wth 9m) banks at E, and a second N-S field wall overlies the defining features just E of the inner bank at E (max. ext. diam. 84.6m E-W). It may be a ceremonial enclosure. Archaeological testing (14E0053) c. 80m to the S at the closest point produced no related material (Quinn 2014). See: excavations.ie 2014:164

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 24 August 2010
Amended: 5 February 2020

References

Quinn, B. 2014 Report on the Archaeological Testing of a proposed BioPark .. at Ballinphuill, Tibohine, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon. Licence No. 14E0053. Unpublished report, Moore Group.