What is recorded here

No cave appears on the surface, yet local memory points to a hidden passage beneath the southern hollow of the Island West rath. The wide earthwork, narrow wedge-shaped platform and surrounding bogland suggest that people shaped the hill for residence, exclusion or ceremony rather than leaving it to chance. What is missing above ground may still exist below it, waiting for rain, roots or patience to reveal the shape of the claim.

On a low but prominent hill in grassland surrounded on three sides by bogland. A subcircular rath (N-S 61m, E-W 55m), in fair condition, defined by a bank from N to E, and elsewhere by a scarp. A field bank encircles the enclosing element from SW through N to NE, and another cuts across the rath at NE and SSE. In NW quadrant, a low wedge-shaped platform (L 9m, H 0.75), narrowing from 7m in width at S to 4.7m at N, is possibly a house foundation. There is a small rectangular hollow at S end, the result of digging in recent years. This is pointed out as the site of a 'cave' (possible Man-made underground passage) but no visible surface trace of such is visible. A number of low banks are also visibleto E and SE of it, running principally on a NW-SE axis; possible internal subdivisions. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II - North Galway'. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). Date of upload: 05 August 2010

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