Rathcarn — Rathgillen

Situated just SE of the summit of a fairly small but prominent drumlin, it is described as ‘Rathcarn’ – fort of the cairn – on the OS 6-inch maps. This is a circular grass-covered area (diam. 62m NNW-SSE; c. 60m ENE-WSW) that slopes down to the S (H c. 1.5m) that is defined by an earthen bank ESE-SSW (at SSE: Wth of base 5m; int. H 0.2m; ext. H 1.4m) that is incorporated into a field bank WNW-E (at NNW: Wth of base 3.5m; int. H 1m; ext. H 1.8m) with an outer drain NW – NE but the perimeter is reduced to a scarp elsewhere. There is no visible fosse but the entrance (Wth of base 2.8m) is at N. There is a lunate annexe attached to the NW, beyond the field bank. This is visible as a level grass-covered area (max. dims c. 65m NE-SW; 18m NNW-SSE) defined by a low scarp (Wth 1m; H 0.35m). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Michael Moore Date of revision: 26 October 2018