Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In rough, rushy pasture, on the top of a high ridge at a break of slope on the E side with extensive views N-S. An oval platform (c. 30m N-S; c. 20m E-W) defined by an earthen bank (Wth c. 5m; int. H c. 0.5m; ext. H 1.75m) SW-N and by a scarp (H c. 2m) elsewhere. An external fosse (Wth 5m) evident SSW-NNW is broad, deep and flat-bottomed. It is bordered on its outer edge by a substantial townland and field boundary (Wth 3m; int. H 1.7m; ext. H 1m) that continues beyond the enclosure to NW and SE but may preserve the line of an outer bank. Elsewhere the fosse is a slight depression (Wth 4-5m) of soft, wet ground. From NE-SE the ridge slope falls away abruptly from its outer edge. The entrance (Wth 0.7m) is at ENE, partially faced with large stones. Stones are also visible protruding from the external face of the bank in this area. The rath is ringed with hazel and the interior, which appears to slope down gently to E, is engulfed in a thicket of impenetrable blackthorn bushes. The townland boundary between Mullaghfin and Toberanania skirts the rath S-NNW.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005).

Date of upload: 18 January 2008