Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Ballygarvey

Situated on a low ridge of rock outcrop surrounded by poorly drained land which is liable to flooding. Bog land 500m to the S and SW, stream marking boundary with county Longford 280m to W. Ringfort (WM005-013----) 150m to ESE, ringfort (WM005-015----) 160m to S and possible hut site (WM005-012----) 45m to SSW. A roughly circular area (approx. diam. 35m)enclosed by a low poorly preserved earth and stone bank only visible at NNE, elsewhere reduced to a scarp, with traces of an external fosse only visible at E and W. Causewayed entrance gap at NNE, a second causewayed gap at E appears to be a later feature. The interior is very uneven and slopes outwards from the centre. Much of the SW part of the interior is occupied by circular grass-covered mound, possibly rock outcrop. There is a smaller irregular mound of earth and stone on the top of this mound which probably represents a collapsed house site (WM005-011001-). A second rectangular shaped structure (WM005-011002-) located W of centre appears to overlie the enclosing bank of the ringfort and is probably a later house site of unknown antiquity. Compiled by: Frank Coyne & Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 20 December 2016