Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Cloongownagh

Discovered during the field survey of a new route for the N4, and situated on a slight S-facing slope. Circular grass-covered area (diam. 55m N-S; 53m E-W) defined by an earthen bank (Wth 5.4m at W to 10.2m at S; int. H 0.2-0.3m; ext. H 0.7m at W to 1.5m at S) with no visible fosse or entrance. Excavation (99E0193) in 1999-2000 (Henry 2000c; Lennon and Henry 2001, 51-64; Lennon and Henry 2002) of an extensive area (dims 120m NW-SE; 55m NE-SW) included the S part of the enclosure. Excavation uncovered a rounded fosse (Wth 3m; D 1-1.5m) and entrances at SE (Wth 3m), S (Wth 4.7m) and W (Wth 3.6m), the last two of which had cobbled surfaces but no causeways, and all post-dated the use of the rath and the silting of the fosse. The interior had been damaged by ridge and furrow cultivation and little remained from its use apart from some post-holes, pits and an E-W trench (L 10m plus; Wth 1.2m; D 1.1m) which contained oak planks. C 14 dates showed that the rath was occupied in the 7th and 8th centuries but was disused by the 10th. A rectangular enclosure or annexe (RO011-160002-) (dims 25m NW-SE; 16m plus NE-W) defined by a fosse (Wth c. 1.2m; D c. 0.55m) with traces of an internal bank was attached to the SE. It post-dates the silting of the rath fosse and produced a C14 date in the late 12th or 13th century, although the sample may have been contaminated. No structures were associated with the annexe. The rath overlay an unenclosed Iron Age settlement with at least one circular hut site (RO011-160003-), a rectangular house (RO011-160008-), a fulacht fia (RO011-160004-) and three burnt mounds (RO011-160005-; RO011-160006-; RO011-160007-). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010