Ancient Road

On Rathcroghan plateau and its E-facing slope. Running W from the well of Tobar Caoch (RO022-057053-) to S of Rathcroghan mound (RO022-057010-) (L 1.2km), and perhaps as far as the N edge of Rathnadarve (RO-022-057004-) (L c. 1.8km) through the road fragment (RO022-057078-). At the E end it truncates rath (RO022-057055-) and here the carriageway (Wth 12m) is defined by earthen banks (Wth 2.2-2.6m; int. H 0.6-0.7m; ext. H 0.1-0.2m). Just E of the deserted settlement (RO022-057070-) the N bank overlies earthwork (RO022-057088-). The road runs through the settlement, and house (RO022-057086-) is incorporated into the N bank. About 120m W of the settlement traces of a branch road turn N (L c. 70m), although it is closed off by a low bank. The road continues to the Tulsk-Bellanagare road (N5) as a carriageway (Wth 8m) defined by earthen banks (Wth 3m; H 0.2-0.5m) on both sides. It does not visibly survive W of the N5, but its N boundary may be incorporated into the field wall and townland boundary running W, to the S of the Rathcroghan mound, where the two ring-barrows (RO022-057015-) and (RO022-057016-) would have been overlain by it, and they undoubtedly pre-date the road. It also disregards and post-dates the ceremonial enclosure (RO022-057012-). (Knox 1914, 6 map; Herity 1983, 130; 1988, 72, Glenballythomas 4; Waddell 1983, 29, No. 8) This is a National Monument in state ownership: No. 473 Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010