Hillfort in Earlspark

On the summit of a prominent hill (OD 520 ft), overlooking Lough Rea c. 1.3km to the NW. Aerial reconnaissance in February 1986 (ASGAP 267:8) revealed this poorly preserved roughly oval hillfort (c. 200m E-W; c. 150m N-S) which is defined by a bank (Wth across the top c. 1.5m; int. H c. 0.6m) from N to E and by a scarp from E to SE and from W to N; otherwise no visible surface trace of the enclosing element survives. Several modern field boundaries cut across the monument. A field system (GA105-087----) abuts it at NE. Beglan (2014, 313-14) suggests that the hillfort may have been reused as a 'secondary lodge' when the high medieval deer park (GA105-236----) was established. Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG Updated by: Olive Alcock Date of revised upload: 15 October 2020

A local fairy fort (ringfort/rath); wider significance not recorded.