Kilmore Rath — Coolbagh,kilmore

Marked as a large embanked subrectangular, possibly bi-vallate enclosure on the 1840 ed. (ext. dims. c. 230m ENE-WSW; c. 90m NNW-SSE) of the OS 6-inch map, and with a single bank on the 1927 ed. (ext. dims. c. 260m ENE-WSW; c. 110m NNW-SSE) of the OS 6-inch map. It incorporates the townland boundary with Coolbagh at N and is situated at the bottom of a N-S valley with a N-S stream c. 20m to the W. This is a rectangular grass-covered area (int. dims. 220m E-W; 80-92m N-S) defined by a substantial, overgrown earthen bank (at W: Wth 6-7.5m; int. H 1.2-2.5m; ext. H 1.3-4m) and outer fosse (Wth at base 2.5-4.5m; D 0.8-1.2m) which is best preserved at W. The bank declines in magnitude towards the E (Wth 6.5m; int. H 1.2m; ext. H 2.5m) where the fosse is entirely absent. The entrance (Wth 3.8m) and causeway at W are probably modern, as are subsidiary entrances at E (Wth 3.8m) and at the E end of the N side (Wth 3.5m). The site may have originally consisted of three fields which were later broken into a single large field. It is regarded as a church site by Power (1952, 90). Power, Rev. P. (1952) The placenames of the Decies. (second ed.) Cork University Press. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Waterford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 02 October 2011