What is recorded here

Castle, ringwork in Aghavoneen stands twenty-seven metres across on a Westmeath rise, its steep earthen scarps still dividing inside from out despite centuries of pasture and forgetfulness. A smaller mound sits twenty-two metres east-north-east, joined by a low ridge that may have served as a second enclosure or merely as a path for boots and thoughts. The shape resists easy explanation, suggesting either two ringforts or one castle with a detached bailey, while trees now soften the very line that once marked danger, ownership or refuge.

Situated on a rise, in rough pasture, with good views of the surrounding landscape. Possible detached bailey (WM036-006----) lies c. 22m to ENE and appears to be connected to the ringwork via a short, low ridge. Depicted on the revised 1910 ed. OS 25-inch map as a suboval-shaped earthwork with a short rectilinear projection to NE. Monument described in 1973 as a roughly circular-shaped area (diam. 27m) defined by a steep scarp with a berm (Wth c. 3-5m) visible from NE-E-S-W-NW where it separates the inner and outer scarp. The inner scarp merges with the outer scarp from NW-N-NE. The interior of the earthwork is uneven. Monument is visible today as a roughly oval-shaped tree-planted earthwork on Digital Globe aerial photography. Could be the remains of two ringforts (WM036-006----) as depicted on the first ed. OS 6-inch map or the remains of a ringwork with detached bailey (WM036-006----). Compiled by Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien. Date of upload: 28 November 2019

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