Hillfort

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on the summit of Ballincurra Hill with panoramic views in all directions; Knockadigeen hillfort (TN027-098001-) is to the NE. A large, oval hillfort (max. diam. c. 120m NE-SW; 102m NW-SE) defined by a bank (Wth 1.8m; int. H 0.69m; ext. H 1.73m) and outer fosse (Wth 2-3m; D 0.55m) with a cairn (TN027-140002-) in the interior. The fosse at E has a V-shaped profile, 2m wide at the base, which broadens out to 3m. The bank is composed of earth with some stone protruding from the surface. In the SE quadrant the hillfort is defined by a scarp (H 2.6m) cut into the natural rock with no visible external fosse. Most of the SW portion of the hillfort is covered in forestry, S of the field and townland boundary on the OS 6-inch map.
The hillfort was recently described in the Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland as following; 'Univallate contour fort surrounding the domed summit of mountain at the N edge of the Silvermines Mountain range. Knockadiggeen hillfort 1.4km to NE (Atlas No.0713). The site has a total site footprint of approximately 1.1ha. Univallate for the entire circuit with no recorded entrance features. There is a heather covered cairn near the centre of the hillfort. There are no recorded entrance features. Ramparts survive best at NE. Commercial forestry plantation covers approximately two thirds of the hillfort. The remainder is under heavy heather growth. First map detection in second edition Ordnance Survey mapping. Monument surveyed by Farrelly and O'Brien (2002). At the center of the hillfort, the townland boundaries of Ballincurra, Killeen and Kilnaneave meet.' (http://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk/records/IR0708.html).

The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 6 February 2020

References

Lock, G. and Ralston, I. 2017 Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland.(Online website at https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk)