Fairy fort / stone ringfort in Magheranore

In pasture, on a SE-facing slope. A raised circular area (38.5m N-S; 39.5m E-W) defined by a scarp (H 1.25m). Remains of a stone wall (Wth 1.2m; int. H 0.2m) are evident on top of the edge of the scarp WSW-NW. An external dry flat-bottomed fosse (Wth 5.5m; D 0.7m) is evident SW-NW and at SE. Short stretches of an outer earthen bank (Wth 3.5m; ext. H 0.7m) are evident at SW and NW, revetted in places by upright stones. The interior is also encircled by a stone wall (Wth 1m; H 1.8m) c. 2m inside and concentric with the line of the inner enclosing wall of the cashel and possibly built reusing stones from the latter. A small rectangular stone-built structure (5m x 2.5m) is built as a lean-to on the inner face of this wall at SW. There are rock outcrops in the N half of the interior. 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

A fairy fort / stone ringfort in Magheranore is a likely early-medieval circular earthwork with a stone wall, used as a defensive or domestic site. Local folklore associates such forts with fairy realms, and they were often avoided due to beliefs in supernatural inhabitants.