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Fairy fort / stone ringfort in Ballinvally

Fairy fort / stone ringfort

What is recorded here

No visible trace remains on the gentle slope because the stone ringfort disappeared in 1949. It had kept a broad oval boundary, a northeaste gate, and a hidden corner of burnt stone where querns still turned grain into meal. The fairies may have taken the stones back after the humans stopped watching, leaving only a flat green field and a memory of shape.
Located on a gentle N-facing slope. This was removed in 1949 when it was described as an oval area ’44 yards NW-SE by 36 yards NE-SW’ which had an earth and stone bank and an outer fosse, with had an entrance at NE (NMI file). An area of burnt stone and charcoal ’11 yards by 7 yds’, from which two quern stones were recovered, was in the NW quadrant. Three decorated stones (ME009-103----; 104----; 105----) had been found in the perimeter at SE, and another piece (ME009-093----) was found c. 30m outside it to the W in 1972. The rath was still visible in 1969 as an oval grass-covered area (dims 48m N-S; 43.6m E-W) defined by a widely spread bank (at W: Wth of base 8.5m; int. H 0.2m; ext. H 0.4m) with an entrance (Wth of base 5m) at NE. 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: 1 November 2018

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What survives
Recorded monument

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