What is recorded here

Enclosure in Ballyholan is a possible ringfort on a domed knoll in County Mayo, mapped in 1837 and 1930 but now hidden beneath gorse, blackthorn and brambles. The hillock rises several metres to a narrow peak, with a shallow depression at its crown and a hawthorn-lined bank skirting its base. Whatever lived there has been swallowed by thorns and time, leaving only shape and doubt behind.

Located on a knoll in undulating pasture. This possible enclosure is shown on the 1837 and 1930 OS 6-inch maps as a roughly circular ringfort-like enclosure (diam. c. 40m, 1930), skirted by a laneway at N. At the location, there is a roughly circular hillock (diam. c. 50m) with a domed profile that rises several meters high to a narrow peak. At the top of the hillock is a shallow depression (10m N-S; 8m E-W), possibly a quarry pit. Skirting the base of the hillock at N−SE is a field bank (Wth 1.4m; H 0.5m) lined with hawthorn bushes. A dense covering of gorse, blackthorn and brambles made inspection difficult; it is unclear if there was an enclosure here. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 17 April 2018

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