Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Ballynacarrow South

In undulating pasture, crowning a prominent ridge with extensive views in all directions. This rath was described in 1992 (SMR (1989) file) as a circular raised area (int. diam. 14.5m; H c. 1m) enclosed by two earthen banks and an intervening fosse (Wth 4m). The inner bank was evident only as a slight lip (Wth 2.5m; int. H 0.2m) around the edge of the interior. The outer bank (Wth 2m; ext. H 0.8m) was evident only along the N arc. There was an entrance (Wth 4.5m) at SW with a causeway/ramp across the fosse. Field boundaries were noted immediately to the E and N. The rath was partially overgrown with bushes. A subsequent site inspection in 2002 found that the rath was engulfed in impenetrable overgrowth and the presence of a possible circular hut site, visible in an aerial photograph (OSAP, 6 4083-4) in the N half of the interior, could not be determined. The entire rath is within the NE corner of a large oblong field (c. 80m NE-SW; c. 45m NW-SE) defined by a substantial field boundary (ext. H 1.3m) with an external ditch (Wth 1.8m). 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