Altars

Located within a rath (MA075-001008) which is enclosed within a promontory fort (MA075-001001-). Two small circular features labelled ‘Altars’ are indicated on the 1920 OS 6-inch map, one (MA075-001011-) within a children’s burial ground in the SE quadrant of the rath, and one (MA075-001012-) to W of the burial ground. They are both listed in the SMR (1991) and the RMP (1997) as 'altar'. Westropp (1914, 315) described the leacht (MA075-001011-) within the children’s burial ground as ‘ a circular ‘altar’ of slabs 6 feet [1.8m] each way and barely 3 feet [0.9m] high, heaped with white quartz pebbles’ and he noted this leacht as ‘A similar leacht stands outside the Killeen 54 feet [c. 16m] westward.’ Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 7 August 2015