Skaghabanoo / Hachured — Kells

In pasture on the SW-facing slope of a broad hill, almost equidistant (c. 200m) from Toole’s Lough to the S, Knockaunadoo Lough to the W and the larger Lough Cullaun to the N, with clear views from SE to W. Hachured and labelled ‘Skaghavanoo’ the first edition (1842) of the OS 6-inch map and hachured and labelled ‘Skaghavanoo fort’ on the later, Cassini edition (1916). Classified as an enclosure in the RMP (1996). Described by MacNamara (1900, 31) as ‘a very fine earthen fort, 67 yards [c. 61m] in diameter, having a deep fosse’, and by Westropp (1900-2, 139; No. 44) who recorded that, ‘ … the head of a bossed Celtic cross (CL017-088003-) and the holy bush [CL017-088001-] which gives the place its name, remain near a large rath (CL017-088002-), with a souterrain (CL017-088004-) …’   A large circular bivallate rath (int. diams. 54.3m NNW-SSE, 53m ENE-WSW; ext. diams. 72.5m NNW-SSE, 71m ENE-WSW) is defined by an inner earthen bank, a fosse and a second, outer bank, all of which are well-preserved in the NE quadrant, but have been much reduced elsewhere. The inner bank (Wth 8.5m; int. H 0.8m; ext. H 1.6m) is best preserved at N. The fosse (Wth at base 1.5m; Wth at top 6m; D 0.9-1.1m) is traceable from WNW-N-E but is reduced to a berm from E-S. The outer bank (Wth 2.5-4m; ext. H 0.3m) can be traced from WNW-N-ENE. There is a possible entrance (Wth 4m) defined by a slight causeway and a gap in the outer bank at NNW. The interior slopes down to the S and contains a souterrain 9CL017-088004-) in the E sector.     Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Eve Campbell    Date of upload: 21-10-2025