Fairy fort / stone ringfort in Drumcondra

On top of a roughly circular knoll, surrounded by a flat expanse of bog but connected by a low spine of elevated ground to a high ridge at SSW. The circular flat top (16m N-S; 17m E-W) of the knoll is enclosed by scant remains of a stone wall. The wall survives as a jumble of moss-covered stones, occasionally protruding from which are individual stones that appear to be in situ facing stones of the foundation course. The inner face of the wall coincided with the break of slope at the top of the knoll with the outer wall face constructed slightly downslope. It appears to have been 2.5m in width. The interior is strewn with stone and there is considerable stone tumble on the steep sides of the knoll. From an entrance (Wth 0.8m) in the wall at ENE a line of contiguous stones, perpendicular to the wall, extends downslope for c. 5m. There is also a break (W 1.6m) in the wall at SE. A stand of hazel, holly and hawthorn covers the knoll, with a dense thicket of blackthorn extending to the N. At the base of the knoll on the E side a low natural terrace (c. 20m N-S; 20m E-W) of dry ground extends into the surrounding marshy ground. A cashel (SL021-073----) lies c. 400m to SE. 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