What is recorded here

Fairy forts are human places misnamed, often built as defensible farms or ritual boundaries before fairy became a label for the unknown. In Rathbane the ring measures about thirty metres across, has a double bank and a cut fosse, and still stands at the south-east end of a ridge where sight, defence and memory would have met. The name may hide more truth than it claims: people were likely to have lived, worked and been buried there before the story changed.

Located towards the SE end of a NW-SE ridge. This is a raised circular grass-covered area (diam. 30m N-S; 29m E-w) planted with deciduous trees defined by a grass-covered earthen bank (Wth of base 5-7.5m; int. H 0.2-0.6m; ext. H 2m) separated by a fosse (Wth of top 6.5-7m; Wth of base 1.5m; ext. D 0.8m at S to 1.5m at N) from an outer bank (Wth of base 5.8-7.5m; ext. H 0.5-0.7m). The monument is contained within a square field defined by earthen banks (at S: Wth of base 5m; int. H 0.8m; ext. H 1.8m). The entrance through the (Wth of base 2.1m) and outer (Wth of base 3.1m) banks with a causeway (Wth of to p4.3m; H 0.5m) is at E. 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: 3 September 2018

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