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Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Carnakelly

Fairy fort / earthen ringfort

What is recorded here

Carnakelly is a circular earthen rath forty-three metres across on a gentle south-facing slope in County Galway. Its bank still stands, though quarrying has bitten into the east and west edges and modern gaps have opened the line. Cody recorded a causewayed entrance at the southeast in 1989, but that feature has vanished from view. The fort may have held homes, herds or fear of fairies; it certainly held shape long enough for people to keep remembering it.
On a gentle S-facing slope in an area of tillage and pastureland. This roughly circular rath (diam. 43m), in fair condition, is defined by a bank with evidence of external stone-facing at NW. Gaps at NE (Wth 3m) and S (Wth 3m) appear to be modern. Quarrying has encroached upon the enclosing element at E and W. No visible surface trace survives of the external fosse and causewayed entrance gap (Wth 4m) noted by Cody (1989, 183-4, no. 38) at SE. Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG Date of upload: 19 January 2017

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

What survives
Recorded monument

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