Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In improved pasture, on a gentle ESE-facing slope. The remains of a circular area (dims. 30m E-W; 28m N-S) defined by scarp (Wth 1.8m; H 0.15m) and fosse (basal Wth 3m; overall Wth 8.2m; D 0.25m) SE-SW and NW-NNE; the monument has been levelled in the W quadrant. A possible well is depicted on the 2nd (1906) ed. OS 6-nch map at W. Dunne (1852-3, 378) records 'square beams of oak….discovered projecting horizontally from the bottom of the rath of Poulacapple into the entrenchment [fosse] at its base; and which were left untouched by the excavators, lest their removal might provoke the anger of the "good people."' The ringfort was truncated across its E-sector by a realignment of the N76 Clonmel-Kilkenny road in 1972. Prior to this it was excavated by the OPW and described as 'a roughly circular area [diam. c. 43m] enclosed by a deep fosse and an outer bank [overall diam. c. 55m]' (Reynolds 1972, 27). The excavation recovered pits containing charcoal, animal bone, fragments of iron and iron slag, sickle and knife, ornamented bone, upper stone of a rotary quern and an amber button (ibid).

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 26 August 2011

References

Dunne, J. 1852-3 Proceedings. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 2, 378.

Reynolds, J. F. 1972 Poulacapple: Ringfort. In T. G. Delaney (ed.), Excavations 1972: summary reports of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 27. Association of Young Irish Archaeologists, and participated in by the Ulster Archaeological Society, and Group for the Study of Irish Historical Settlement.