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Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Kilboyne

Fairy fort / earthen ringfort

What is recorded here

Half-hidden in a coniferous forest in Kilboyne, the earthen ringfort keeps its shape despite field banks intruding on its west and south-west edges. Its grass-covered interior slopes sharply northeast toward a distant stream, while a narrow southeast gap marks the original entrance. The fortress has survived centuries of neglect and forest growth, preserving a boundary between human memory and fairy speculation.
Located towards the bottom of a NE-facing slope with a small W-E stream c. 80m to the N. This is a subcircular grass-covered area (dims 24.6m NW-SE; 21.8m NE-SW) that slopes down considerably to the NE. It is defined by an earthen bank (at SE: Wth of base 3m; int. H 0.45m; ext. H 1.45m), with outer facing stones S-SW, and an outer fosse (at SE: Wth of base 2.2m; ext. D 0.8m). A N-S field bank at W and a NW-SE field bank at SW distort the shape in these areas. The original entrance (Wth of base 2.2m) is at SE. The rath remains unplanted in a coniferous forest (Digitalmap). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of revision: 31 August 2018

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What survives
Recorded monument

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