Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Gortakeeran

In undulating pasture, on a gentle SE-facing slope; the ground falls away gradually to E and SE towards the Owenboy River. A raised circular area (35m N-S; 33.5m E-W) defined by an earthen bank (Wth 6m; int. H 1.5m; ext. H 2.3m) with an external fosse. The bank is levelled internally NE-SE where a NNE-SSW field boundary crosses the edge of the interior. At WSW there is a 7m long break in the bank and the exposed sections reveal an earthen construction with some large stones incorporated in the core at the base. The external bank face has been eroded or dug away for c. 6m at N. The entrance (Wth 2m), at NE, is stone faced on its N side and partially obscured by a field boundary on its S side. The fosse (Wth 3m; D 1.4m) is evident all round apart from NE-SE where there is a terrace (Wth 3m; H 0.7m) edged with stones. The interior slopes slightly down to SE. There is a hut site (SL025-026002-) in the SW quadrant. 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