What is recorded here

Indicated is a fairy fort on a low knoll outside Swinford, its earth rim still standing beside modern stables and bungalows. The fort is broadly oval, about thirty metres across, with a scarp reaching nearly two metres high and a shallow hollow cutting into one side. Blackthorn and hazel now tangle around it, hiding more than they reveal. It sits in pasture rather than display, witnessed by horses, residents and passing traffic, yet it keeps the old shape of a place set apart.

In pasture, in a thicket of overgrowth, on the western outskirts of Swinford town, located on a low knoll. There is a stream 170m to N. There are good views W–N over undulating grassland, with a tract of forested land c. 250m to W. In the field to N of the rath, immediately at the base of the rath scarp, there are stables and an equestrian yard. A row of bungalows borders the E side of the field, c. 10-15m to E of the rath. Raised, broadly oval area (c. 33m NE–SW; c. 29m NW–SE) defined by a scarp (H 1.8m at SSE). At W–NE the scarp is substantially enhanced by the knoll slope which falls for several meters. On the E half the scarp is lower (H 1.4m) and poorly defined, with a rough and stony slope. At SE–S there is a shallow depression (Wth 1.2-2m; D c. 0.4m) just inside the rim at top of the scarp. In parts at S−SW the scarp is topped with a rough spread of stones. At N–NE the scarp has been incorporated into a later field fence that respects the curve of the rath. A hollow (Wth 3m; D 0.5m) extends from the scarp at NNW into the interior to SSE for c. 5m where it expands into a poorly defined, shallow depression (max. dim. 4–5m) the rising slope of the interior. Dense of blackthorn and hazel made inspection difficult. There is another rath (MA062-046----) located 70m to SSW. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 25 November 2020

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