Indicated — Behy Beg

In pasture, located on a low rise in gently undulating terrain, overlooking expanses of wet, boggy ground 50-100m to E and SE. There is a canalised stream, which coincides with the townland boundary, 15m to W. Broadly oval raised area (54m E−W; 46m N−S) defined by a bank, which is largely reduced to a scarp, outside which it is enclosed by a fosse with remnants of an external bank. The inner bank/scarp (Wth 4m at NW, 4.5m at E; int. H 0.3m; ext. H 1.5m at NW, 1.65m at E) has a pronounced external slope but retains only a very low internal lip. The broad fosse (Wth 4.5-5.5m; ext. D 1.2m at E, 1.4m at W, 0.75m at NW) is well defined. There are traces of a levelled outer bank on the outer edge of the fosse at SSW−N and at NE; this appears as a broad low rise (Wth 4-5m), which merges on its outer edge at W−N with the natural fall of ground. There are three broad causeways across the fosse: at SE (Wth 3.3m), SSW (10.3m) and N (4.5m). These are likely to be the result of relatively modern disturbance. The causeway at SSW opens towards a steep drop in exterior ground level, and the N causeway also faces a slope. It is possible that the original entrance may have been at the SE causeway, facing an area of level ground. The interior is level, but with a slight dip in ground level in the NW quadrant. According to local tradition, there is a souterrain (MA040-001001-) in the rath. Grass cover, with a few hawthorn trees on the perimeter at the E. Field rushes grow in the fosse on the W arc. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 20 April 2020