Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, on the NE end of a low rise with boggy ground to E and NE. Indicated on the 1914 OS 6-inch map as a roughly pear-shaped embanked area (diam. c. 25m). Only part of this rath is now evident, consisting of an arc (C 20.5m NW-SE) of scarp (H 1.8m) N-SE, topped in places by an earthen bank (Wth 2m; int. H 0.45m). A line of stones (Wth 1m; L 6m), possibly foundations of a drystone wall, extend in N-S direction from the scarp at N into the interior. Further stone foundations, possibly of a house, are in the N half of the interior. The slope immediately outside the scarp along the NE arc is poached by cattle. Eroded remains of a linear earthen bank (L 12.4m NW-SE; Wth 2m; ext. H 0.6m; int. H 1.1m) lie c. 40m WSW of the rath, with traces of inner facing consisting of up to five courses of drystone walling. A further short section of an earthen bank (L 1.5m NE-SW) was noted 5.5m SW of the former. A concrete cattle-shed has been built in the area between both these sections of bank. A hollow is indicated on the 1914 OS 6-inch map in this area.

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