What is recorded here

Donore, the Fort of Pride, still holds its ground on a sharp bluff above the Nore, pretending to be merely a grassy bump while guarding views across the valley. Its wide fosse and outer bank remain visible beneath the overgrowth, marking a place where human hands shaped the slope for pride, defense, or both. The flat top and slight western rise suggest rooms, tents, or firelight once occupied the air now filled only with wind.

On a small bluff, outcropping slightly from the break of slope between the steep slopes of the S side of the Nore river valley and the broad plateau to the S, in grassland. There are extensive views in all directions. It is described in the OS Letters (1839) as, 'a large moat' (O'Flanagan (ed.) 1930, vol. 2, 77 (26)) and by Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 196) as, 'a fine rath on the brow of a sharp incline; it is now known as Thornback Rath, but its old name was Donore, i.e., Dún-uabhair, the Fort of pride, or the proudly-situated Fort'. The monument is heavily overgrown. It consists of a raised circular area (diam. c. 20m; H 4-5m) enclosed by a wide fosse (Wth 4m; D. c. 1.75m) and an outer bank (Wth 5m; ext H 1m). The outer bank is degraded at S and levelled on SW. The top of the platform is flat, however the W half is slightly higher and is defined by a low (H c. 0.3-0.5m) scarp running N-S across the centre. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 8 June 2020

Built during the Norman period, likely in the 11th or 12th century, Castle, motte in Troyswood served as a strategic stronghold due to its elevated position and expansive views, making it important for surveillance and defense over the Nore river valley.

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