What is recorded here

Two earth walls and a water-filled ditch still circle Ballydonohoe, proving that humans shaped the boggy field before myth renamed it a fairy fort. The inner bank rises above the fosse, the outer bank survives as a low ridge, and a wide causeway crosses the south end like a forgotten entrance. A rectangular enclosure lies just north, perhaps a bawn for livestock or people, cut in half by a later fieldbank. The site does not need fairy explanation to be strange; it records the effort of building, defending and remembering on difficult ground.

Internal diameter 27m N-S, 25m E-W This bivallate rath is situated at the top of a large boggy field. To the NE lies Toberboy holy well (KE005-071----), while immediately N lies a possible bawn (KE005-069----). The rath consists of a circular inner area enclosed by a well-defined inner bank, exterior fosse and a much-levelled outer bank. The inner bank rises to a height of 1.4m above the fosse and .8m above the interior. The enclosing fosse is U shaped and varies between 2m-4.8m in width. The outer enclosing bank measures c 1m above the height of the surrounding land and .8m above the fosse. As this enclosing bank circles the site, it forms a causeway at the S end, 7m in width and over 20m in length. Immediately N of the ringfort is a sub-rectangular enclosure, possibly a bawn (KE005-069----). It is cut in half by a fieldbank running E-W. All that remains of this enclosure is a raised area measuring 17m x 14m and between .5m-1.4m above the height of the surrounding land. An opening of c 4m appears to the S, and just inside this opening is a small depression 3.4m. x 3.6m. This bawn could possibly be connected to the ringfort. The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 255. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 2 August 2013

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.