What is recorded here
Indicated is a circular earthen fort in County Mayo pasture, still marked by a substantial east bank and a shallow west scarp. Ash, hawthorn and brambles crowd its edge, while stones and a blocked east gap hint at the shape of entry. The surrounding rise gives wide views, making the fort feel less like a forgotten mound and more like a chamber kept for watching, waiting or being seen.
In pasture, located on the gentle E-facing slope of a low rise, with good views.
Slightly raised circular area (31m E–W; 32m N–S) defined on the E half by a substantial earthen bank (Wth 5.7m; int. H 1m; ext. H 1.1m), which is reduced on the W half to a scarp (ext. H 0.7m) with a slightly raised internal rim. Small stones protrude from the inner face of the bank at NE–E. The hachuring depicted on the 1930 OS 6-inch map indicates an external fosse. The fosse is not now evident, but when the rath was inspected in 1996 a band of soft earth (Wth 2m at E; 8m at W) was noted encircling the rath, suggesting that the fosse had been recently infilled. In the interior, slightly W of centre, an irregular N–S stony scarp marks a difference in height of c. 1m between the W and E parts of the interior. The lower E half has a level surface, strewn with stones. An E–W row of stones, barely protruding from the surface, extends from the bank at W to the central N–S dividing scarp, marking out an internal division in W half of the interior. A gap (Wth 2m), now blocked with boulders, in the bank at E may mark the location of the entrance. Another gap (Wth 1.4m) at NW is similarly blocked.
The perimeter is ringed with ash and hawthorn, with holly, ash and brambles in the interior. Heaps of field clearance boulders are piled along the line of the bank at S. A possible rath (MA039-011----) is located 120m to N, and there is a rath (MA039-013----) 230m to E.
Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy
Date of upload: 13 September 2019
The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.
- What survives
- Recorded monument
Places near here
IndicatedFairy fort / earthen ringfort · 179 yd
Church (in Ruins)Church · 964 yd
Dermot & Graine's BedArchaeological place · 1308 yd
Saint Teresa's Catholic Churchchurch/chapel · 1477 yd
Castle Kelly (in Ruins)Castle, motte · 1739 yd
Roe IslandIslet · 2.6 mi
Gull IslandIslet · 2.6 mi
Belleek WoodsWood · 4.7 mi
FloretteWreck · 4.9 mi