Barrow — ring-barrow in Ballyglass (rathconrath By.)

Situated on WSW face of high natural ridge running NE-SW with excellent views in all directions. Well preserved ring-barrow (overall diam. 19.5m x 18.6m) consisting of a small slightly elongated shaped earthen mound (7m NE-SW; 5.7m NW-SE; H 1.1m) enclosed by a wide shallow fosse and a substantial earthen bank with sharp profile. There are some slight disturbance gaps in the bank which appear to be livestock gaps. A modern field bank of earth and stone running NW-SE is located 3m E of external bank. There are three large orthostats of megalithic proportions incorporated into the W face of this field bank which may have been the remains of some type of megalithic structure (WM018-090001-) which has been partially levelled. Two of these stones are set longitudinally in a line as if to form the side wall of a chamber with the third stone at NW end running perpendicular as if to form a jamb stone of the chamber (SMR File 27/04/1970). Surveyed in 2013 and described by McGuinness (2014, 33-4) as following: 'The survey-team was unable to gain access to this site this season, but it was well described in the 1970s by ASI fieldworkers, who identified it as a saucer-barrow (a British term synonymous with ring-barrow) and noted the occurrence of a megalithic structure which is clearly related to the barrow. The 1970 account is given here: A small oval mound surrounded by a substantial earthen bank with a very wide shallow fosse between them. The bank is denuded almost to the bottom of the fosse on the WNW. It has a slight modern gap on the ESE. The bank supports some furze. No formal entrance way. Situated on the WSW side of the top of a prominent NE-SW ridge on gently undulating and hilly ground of good pasture. A modern NW-SE fence of earth and stone extends outside the bank on the NE. In this, to NE of the barrow are three stone of megalithic proportions, two set longitudinally in a line as if forming the side of a chamber grave and the standing upright at the NW end as if a jamb. L of barrow NE-SW = 7m (overall); B of barrow NW-SE = 5.70m (overall); Height of barrow = c. 1.10m [SMR file] There is an unpublished plan and profile in the SMR file, showing the three close-set orthostats in fence to NE of barrow, which appears also to slope down from NE-SW. In 1921, when Shaw saw them, they were collectively known as the ‘leegaun’, although he mistakenly placed them ‘on the west, facing the barrow’. Monument is marked as a roughly circular mound on OS 6” map (Shaw 1921, 137). See attached plan of monument surveyed and drawn by the ASI Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by David McGuinness. Date of revised upload: 20 July 2015