What is recorded here

Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Ballyhealy OR Hollybrook Demesne is a fairy fort or earthen ringfort in Ballyhealy OR Hollybrook Demesne, County Sligo, Ireland. It occupies the lower northwest end of a narrow ridge that overlooks the Bricklieve Mountains and Lough Arrow. A slightly raised circular area measures twenty-seven by twenty-nine metres and contains a possible underground passage in its northwest quadrant. Conifers and beech trees now grow inside and around the earthen bank.

At the lower NW end of a narrow NW-SE ridge, with good views of the Bricklieve Mountains to SW and W and of Lough Arrow to the NE. A slightly raised roughly circular area (27m NW-SE; 29m NE-SW) defined by an earthen bank (Wth 3.8m; int. H 0.4m; ext. H 1.15m) with a low internal rim. In a few places along the mid line of the bank where the top is eroded, a core of medium to large stones is visible, set on edge contiguously in a single line. Outside the bank at SSE and SSW are two shallow depressions (Wth 2m), 3m apart, that follow the curve of the bank. The N portion of the interior is raised to compensate for the hillslope. There is a possible Man-made underground passage (SL040-039002-) in the NW quadrant. Several animal burrows also occur in this area. A stand of conifers is planted in the interior with a ring of beech and conifers on the perimeter. The ridge itself is planted with mixed woodland, some of which, in the vicinity of the rath, have been felled. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008

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