Barrow - ring-barrow

The National Monuments Service's description

At the S edge of the Rathcroghan plateau. Reputed to be the burial place of Daithaí, nephew of Niall of the Nine Hostages and the last of the early mythological High Kings of Ireland (Gormley 1989, 9, 10). Circular grass-covered mound (diam. of base 18m E-W; 16.4m N-S; H 0.2m at N to 1.3m at W) separated by a fosse (at S: Wth of top 9m) from an outer bank (at S: Wth 7m; int. H 1.3m; ext. H 0.9m) E-W, which is incorporated into a field bank (Wth 2m; H 1m) elsewhere (max. ext. diam. 34m E-W; 33m N-S). There are breaks in the bank at W (Wth 5.2m) and ESE (Wth 4.2m). Standing stone (RO022-057047-) is on the summit. (Knox, 1914a, 36-7; Herity 1983, 131; 1984, 131, Glenballythomas 27; Waddell 1983, 31-2, No. 14; 1988, 10-12, No. 14)

It was investigated in 1913, and limited excavation in 1981 confirmed that it is a natural gravel ridge which was moulded into its present form. The outer bank is artificial, and charcoal from its lower levels provided C14 dates of 1940 +- 70 BP (GrN 11429) and 2120+-25 BP (GrN 11430). The original fosse (Wth of top 3m; Wth of base 0.6m; ext. D 0.5m) was filled at the bottom with homogeneous stone-free clay, perhaps soon after its completion. Finds included waste flint and chert, a medieval stickpin and post-medieval pottery. (Waddell 1987-8; Waddell 1988, 10-2; Kavanagh 2013)

This is a National Monument in state ownership: No. 473

See the attached image taken from the ESE (007) and the aerial image of the barrow taken from the NE (006).

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 24 August 2010

References

Waddell, J. 1983 Rathcroghan - a royal site in Connaught. Journal of Irish Archaeology 1, 21-46.

Waddell, J. 1988 Rathcroghan in Connacht. Emania 5, 5-18.

Waddell, J. 1987-8 Excavations at Daithi's Mound, Rathcroghan, Co. Roscommon. Journal of Irish Archaeology 4, 23-36.

Kavanagh, D. 2013 Daithaí's stone and mound. Journal of the Roscommon Historical and Archaeological Society 12, 109-13.

Herity, M. 1983 A survey of the royal site of Cruachain in Connacht, 1. Introduction, the monuments and topography. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 113, 121-42.

Herity, M. 1984 A survey of the royal site of Cruachain in Connacht, 2. Prehistoric monuments. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 114, 125-35.

Knox, H.T. 1914 Ruins of Cruachain Ai. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 44, 1-50.

Gormley, M. (compiler) 1989 Tulsk parish in historic Maigh Aí. Aspects of its history and folklore. Author