Linear earthwork

The National Monuments Service's description

Marked on the 1837 ed. of the OS 6-inch map as a lane, and known as the Lurag, it was traditionally dug by an enraged cow and her seven calves running from Lough Funshinagh to Lough Croan (distance c. 4.5km) where she submerged herself (Kelly 1907, 5; Anon 1988, 64). Much of its course between these two turloughs can be identified as a section (RO045-079----) between Red Bog and Lough Funshinagh, and this section from Red Bog to Lough Croan.
Situated on a broad E-W ridge between Red Bog at N and Lough Croan at SW (L c. 3 km NE-SW), and following almost continuous field boundaries. A short section (L c. 50m) consisting of a grass-covered laneway (Wth 6.3m) bordered by a grass-covered earthen bank (Wth 7m; int. H 1.5m; ext. H 0.5m) at NW and a field bank (Wth 2.1m; int. H 1m; ext. H 1m) at SE survives just SW of rath (RO045-164----). A section of the ditch (Wth of base 4.6m; D c. 1m) survives (L c. 300m) on the S side of the Athlone - Dysert road, and just N of it (L c. 200m). The most impressive section (L c. 400m) survives close to Lough Croan where it is visible as a flat-bottomed ditch (Wth of top 9.5m; Wth of base 3m; D 1.6-1.8m), but nowhere is there evidence of an accompanying bank.

See the attached image of the section in Ballylion taken from the W

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 24 August 2010

References

Anon. 1988a The Lurag. Journal of the Roscommon Historical and Archaeological Society 2, 64.

Kelly, M.K. 1907 Cam of St. Bride. Athlone Printing Works.