Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

The monument was surveyed in 1980 and described as following; ‘This is a roughly circular earthwork bounded by an uneven scarp, now much defaced with a wide shallow fosse at its foot from north to east the fosse is represented by a fairly flat ledge, beyond which the ground falls away naturally. From east to south to west to north there is a wide low outer bank of earth beyond the fosse. The interior is quite uneven with rises & a general slope from the centre towards the SE. The interior measures approx. 29m NW-SE by approx. 27m NE-SW. Sited on the lower slope of a NE facing rise’ (SMR File 15/10/1980). Outline of monument clearly visible on aerial photograph taken in 1966 (CUCAP APE035/036) which shows the monument standing inside a larger rectangular enclosure or field. The outline of this monument is clearly visible on Digital Globe aerial photograph taken November 2011.
Monument revisited in 1981 and described as following; ‘Site noted from St. Joseph (CUCAP APE036) and G. S. [Geological Survey] Air photographs in 1976. The site appears to be a destroyed ringfort. On the northern sloping face of a steepish hill. The site appears to be circular, or perhaps slightly oval (int. diam. 32.5m N-S; 32m E-W). The raised interior in enclosed by a fosse, with traces of an outer bank to the S, E & W. On the northern side the fosse and outer bank have been interfered with by old field fences which appear to have respected the site. These have since been removed, and have dug into the side of the platform on which the site is dug. There is no trace of an entrance or of any internal features on the site such as traces of house platforms or traces of a souterrain. The interior rises approx. 50cm from the fosse on the S, E and W, gently sloping into disturbed field boundary. The fosse is 3.5m-4m wide. The outer bank rises 50cm from fosse on the E, up to 70cm from the fosse on the S and W. The outer bank is approx. 3m wide all around, and is up to 30cm above the surrounding ground on S and W, level on E. Destroyed on N and NE. Possible slight traces of an outer fosse (Wth 3.5m) on W only, cutting the site off from the western end of the terace on which it is sited’ (SMR File 30/03/1981).

Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien

Date of upload: 6 October 2015

References

GSIAP - Geological Survey of Ireland Aerial Photographs (c. 1973). Geological Survey. Beggars Bush, Haddington Road, Dublin 4.

CUCAP - Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Unit for Landscape Modelling, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge. See:https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com