What is recorded here

Fairy fort in Ballyglass Middle: an oval rath, 43 by 51 metres, sitting just below a ridge summit with a wide view across the Roscommon plains. Its south bank is substantial, stone-faced and slightly vertical, drawn into the Mayo-Roscommon boundary line; the west and north perimeter runs inside a straight field fence, while the north-east arc has been levelled but still shows as a gentle curving rise. A shallow ditch marks the outside of the south bank, though it may be a field ditch rather than an ancient fosse. The shape remains clear enough to walk, measure and imagine: a small enclosed place on open ground, made permanent by border and pasture.

In pasture, immediately adjacent to the Mayo-Roscommon border. Located on a ridge, on level ground just below the summit, where the S slope falls away in gentle undulations, giving excellent views over the plains of Roscommon. Slightly raised oval area (43m N−S; 51m E−W) defined on the S arc by a substantial bank/field fence (Wth 2.8m; int. H 1.3m; ext. H 1.8m) which is incorporated into the Mayo-Roscommon county boundary. This bank is earthen with stone facing on the exterior; it preserves the original curve of the rath, but is almost vertical sided and has clearly been modified to serve as the county boundary. At W−N the rath perimeter is incorporated into a straight NE−SW bank/field fence. This too is faced with stone. The enclosing bank at N−SE has been levelled but its outline is still visible as a slight curving rise/undulation. A shallow ditch (Wth 2m) is evident outside the bank/county boundary on the S arc. While it is possible that this indicates an original fosse, it appears more likely to be a field ditch as it is similar to and merges with ditches bordering adjacent field fences. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 11 November 2022

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