What is recorded here

Half of Rathweal still stands on its water-locked hillock, a steep D-shaped scar facing the rivers while the other half became a milking parlour. The castle lost an edge to ordinary farm life, yet it keeps its true trick: rising above flat country where every road might dissolve into flood. A person standing there would feel both small and chosen, watched by Knockgraffon Motte across the gleam.

On summit of small, flat hillock in otherwise relatively flat terrain. Located on the neck of area known as 'The Island' which is surrounded on all sides by water. To the N a stream runs roughly E-W where it joins the River Aherlow to W and the River Suir to E, both rivers meeting in the S. Knockgraffon Motte (TS075-019001-) is clearly visible c. 1km to the ESE. Monument appears roughly D-shaped on 1st (1840) ed. OS, while on the 2nd (1901-05) ed. the E quadrant is not depicted, with remainder indicated as scarp. The E portion of the monument has been levelled to create a milking parlour which is aligned E-W in the former SE quadrant. The surviving D-shaped area (diam. 29.8m N-S) is defined by scarp (H 2.68m). The interior slopes very gently to N. Small area of disturbance in W quadrant. Two water troughs have been built into the base of the scarp on the W side. An electricity pole has been erected in the S sector and the edge along S side truncated. The siting of the monument on a natural hillock, with very steep sides and the absence of a bank suggests this is not a classic ringfort, its defensive position would suggest some form of medieval earthwork. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 01 April 2014

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