What is recorded here

Shanbally fort is a ringwork and bailey on a hillock in County Tipperary, preserved inside improved pasture and marked by a wide fosse, steep scarp, and a sub-rectangular outer court to the southwest. It stands where land boundaries, a trackway, and old field edges still touch the remains, giving the place the feel of a working estate rather than a forgotten ruin. The name changed from Shanbally fort to Ranacrohy between map editions, but the shape remains clear: a small defended circle with room enough for people, animals, and watchfulness.

In improved pasture, on a hillock with excellent views in all directions. A circular area (map diam. c. 44m) defined by scarp (Wth 3.8m; H 2.1m) N-ESE, SW & NW which is reduced to low scarp (Wth 3.95m; H 1.1m) at E, intervening fosse (Wth 7.8m; D 1.4m) and scant remains of a possible outer bank incorporated in a field boundary (Wth 3.3m; int. H 1.4m; ext. H 0.15m) from SSW-NNW. The monument is enclosed by a townland boundary from NNW-SE. It is named 'Shanbally fort' on the 1840 edition OS 6-inch map and 'Ranacrohy' on the 1904 edition. An adjoining bailey to the SW consists of a sub-rectangular area (dims. 33m ESE-WNW; 23m NNE-SSW) defined by scarp (Wth 2.5-3.5m; H 0.25-0.55m) to S and W and levelled scarp (Wth 0.7m; H 0.2m) to E. A break of slope (Wth 3m) to the S has been utilised as a trackway and is defined by a scarp (L 20m; Wth 3m; H 0.4m) to S. The trackway accesses the interior through a gap at the E end of the S side. There are the remains of a possible bailey fosse (Wth 6.5m; D 0.2m) at the NW which appears to intercept with fosse of ringwork. The interior is generally level and grass covered. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of revised upload: 30 November 2016

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