What is recorded here
Fairy forts are not fairy forts at all. They are human ringforts misnamed because people stopped believing the land could belong to anyone but themselves. The true name is rath, a defended home built by living hands. The fantasy appears only when memory leaves the place behind.
Located on a shelf and towards the top of the N-facing slope of a drumlin. This is a circular area (diam. 37.6m NNE-SSW; 37m WNW-ESE) defined by an earthen bank (Wth of base 3.6-7.4m; int. H 0.6-1m; ext. H 2-2.2m), with an outer fosse or drain (at N: Wth of top 2.5m; Wth of base 1m; ext. D 0.5m) which is reduced to a berm at S (Wth 3m). There is a modern entrance and causeway at SW, but the original is likely to be that (Wth of base 1.9m) at E with its causeway.
The monument is bisected by a NNE-SSW field bank and a rectangular house site is just E of this feature. This is a rectangular area (int. dims 3.75m WNW-ESE; 3m NNE-SSW) defined by low banks (Wth 1-1.6m; H 0.2-0.4m) with an entrance (Wth 0.6m) in the E wall. One corner of this house is separated off with a bank that has a small opening to the interior of the house. There may be a second house just to the S in a fragment of a bank extending off to the SE.
The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Monaghan' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1986). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of revision: 29 August 2017
The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.
- What survives
- Recorded monument
Places near here
Man-made underground passage in CarrickykellyMan-made underground passage · 571 yd
Lisinabragh fortFairy fort / earthen ringfort · 1009 yd
post boxpost box · 1306 yd
Inishkeen Railway Stationrailway station · 1386 yd
CastleCastle, unclassified · 2.4 mi
Mount AshCastle, motte · 3.1 mi
Ballsmill Amenity LandPicnic place · 4.5 mi
Sky HillMountain / peak · 4.6 mi
MEDIEVAL & POST-MED. CHURCH & GRAVEYARD in Creggan Bane GlebeMEDIEVAL & POST-MED. CHURCH & GRAVEYARD · 4.8 mi
Irish Hunger StrikersMemorial · 5.9 mi