Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

On a slight rise of the broad WNW-ESE Carnfree ridge. It has been identified as part of Dumha Selga, which has mythological associations (FitzPatrick 2004, 64-5). Subcircular grass-covered area (dims 42m E-W; 36.5m N-S) defined by an earthen bank (Wth 4-5.5m; int. H 0.3-0.5m; ext. H 1.4-1.8m) and outer fosse (Wth of top 6.2-8m; Wth of base 2-4m; D 0.5-0.8m) which incorporates the fosse of bowl-barrow (RO028-063001-) SE-SW where the rath (ext. diam. 55.9m E-W) destroys the barrow's bank.
There is a hut-site (RO028-063003-), visible as a subcircular platform (dims 10m E-W; 6m N-S; H 0.1-0.4m) at the centre. The entrance (Wth 3m) and causeway (Wth 4m) are at ENE, and the interior is overlain by a WNW-ESE field wall and townland boundary with Carrowgarve to the N. There is another wall running N from it situated close to the perimeter at E. Barrow (RO028-063005-) is c. 50m to the NE and barrow (RO028-063004-) is c. 70m to the SE. Geophysical survey confirms the central hut-site, but provides no evidence of other structures within the rath. (Waddell et al. 2009, 127-35)

See the attached aerial image taken from the SSE with this monument in the background.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 24 August 2010

References

FitzPatrick, E. 2004 Royal inauguration in Gaelic Ireland c.1100-1600: a cultural landscape study. Studies in Celtic History 22. Woodbridge. The Boydell Press.

Waddell, J., Fenwick, J. and Barton, K. 2009 Rathcroghan: archaeological and geophysical survey in a ritual landscape. Dublin. Wordwell.