Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Rathdonnell

In undulating average pasture, located on a prominent rise, utilising the steep slopes on the W and S. There is an area of low-lying, wet ground to S-SE. This rath is enclosed by three banks with intervening fosses. It consists of a broadly oval, raised area (40.6m E-W; 45.5m N-S) defined by an earthen bank (Wth 5.7m; int. H 0.8m; ext. H 2.9m) and enclosed by a fosse (Wth 4m) with external bank (Wth 7.7m; int. H 2.2m; ext. H 1.8m). The second fosse and outermost bank (Wth 3.4m; int. H 1.2m; ext. H 0.2m) survive in an arc at NNW−E, but are levelled elsewhere. The entrance consists of a gap (Wth 4.3m), with intermittent stone facing, in the inner bank at the E, with a ramp-like causeway across the innermost fosse, and a corresponding gap (Wth 3m) in the second bank. A slight causeway, flanked by sod-covered stones, is also evident in the second fosse, splaying outwards to a broad gap (Wth 7m) in the outermost bank. The SW quadrant of the interior is at a slightly higher level that the rest of the interior. At the N edge of this raised area, a few meters from the enclosing bank, there is a surface depression (Diam. c. 2m; D 0.6m), possibly indicating a souterrain (MA030-043001-). A road skirts the rath at W, truncating the outermost fosse and bank. Another multivallate rath (MA030-041----) is located c. 200m to S, and a standing stone (MA030-044----) is located c. 500m to SE, both visible from this rath. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 16 April 2018