Rathcurneen

In wet to average pasture, located on a rise in undulating terrain, adjacent to the NW boundary of the townland. This rath is named ‘Rathcurneen’ on the 1938 and 1922 OS 6-inch maps. It consists of a roughly circular area (c. 27m E–W) enclosed by an earthen bank (Wth 3.5m; int. H 0.35-0.4m; ext. H 1.7m, at W). The bank is best preserved at S and W. The inner face of the bank is low and degraded, with remnants of an internal stone facing or kerb evident in parts at E. A field bank (Wth 2m; int. H 0.6m; ext. H 0.4m) curves around the rath at SSE–NW at a distance of 2-2.4m outside the bank, possibly preserving the line of an original fosse and external bank, but no evidence of external enclosing elements are evident on the E half of the rath. The interior has a slight slope down from W to E. There is a shallow depression/gap (max. dim. c. 5-6m) through the bank at W, and a low section of bank at SSW, but the location of the original entrance is uncertain. The rath is engulfed in blackthorn scrub. There is a possible enclosure (MA038-014----) c. 200m to SE. Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 17 July 2019

Rathcurneen, Ballycarroon is a small early-medieval ringfort, likely dating to between the 5th and 10th centuries, characterized by a roughly circular enclosure. Local tradition associates such sites with the "good people," and similar raths in the region are often linked to fairy folklore and ancient druidic activity.