What is recorded here

Enclosure is a 70m circular earthwork on a Galway ridge, bisected by a road and half-hidden inside a modern graveyard. Its eroded western bank still shows in old aerial photographs, while burials line its outer face and two graves rest within. The place holds both ancient boundary and living death, reminding us that enclosure is not ownership but memory given shape.

On a ridge in undulating pastureland. Described by Cody (1989, 178-80, no. 35) as a circular enclosure (diam. 70m) bisected by a road from roughly NNW to SSW. It is defined by an earthen bank (Wth 3m; int. H 0.8m; ext. H 1m) from E to S. To the W of the road the bank was only visible in the SW sector where it was greatly eroded (Wth max. 7m; int. H 0.4m; ext. H 0.6m); this is clearly visible on an aerial photograph taken in 1970 (CUCAP BDN 68). Otherwise no visible surface trace of the bank survived. The section to the monument to the E of the road is within a modern graveyard. There are two burials in the interior, both alongside each other. A modern stone cross stands at the head of the more easterly one. A large wooden crucifix stands 2m to the S. A number of burials have been placed along the outer face of the bank from E to S. Knox (1918, 121 no. 23) refers to the monument as ‘Rathnacruacha’. Compiled by: Olive Alcock Date of upload: 18 July 2019

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