What is recorded here

Fairy forts are human places misnamed by wonder, and Rathkenny is no exception. Its earthen ring, water-cut ditch and broken entrance belong to people who lived, defended or departed there before records began. The fairies enter later as a story told about loss, change and forgotten ownership.

Located on a general SW-facing slope. This was described in 1968 (SMR file) as a large circular grass-covered area (diam. 66m NW-SE; 64.5m NE-SW) defined by an overgrown earthen bank (at SE: Wth of base 8.7m; int. H 1.6m; ext. H 3.6m), with an external flat-bottomed and water-logged fosse (Wth of base 3.3m ext. D 1.8m) that may have been re-dug E-S-NNW. There is a break in the bank (Wth of base 1.1m) at WSW that is fairly recent and a modernised entrance (Wth of base 9m) at SE while there is an older breach (Wth of base 10m) at SW. 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 upload: 10 July 2007 Amended: 3 August 2022, 15 December 2022

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