Ringfort (Rath), Lisnarawer, Co. Sligo

Co. Sligo |

Ringforts

Ringfort (Rath), Lisnarawer, Co. Sligo

At the edge of a gentle rise in the rolling pasture of Lisnarawer in County Sligo, an ancient earthwork has been quietly absorbed into the fabric of an ordinary domestic garden.

What was once a rath, a type of ringfort consisting of a circular earthen enclosure used as a farmstead and place of security in early medieval Ireland, now doubles as the southern boundary of a garden lawn. The transition is so complete that, without knowing what to look for, a visitor might simply see a grassy bank edging someone's property.

The 1837 edition of the Ordnance Survey six-inch map recorded the site as a clear circular enclosure, which at least tells us the earthwork was still legible and largely intact at that point. What survives today is a broad, curving scarp, around 3.2 metres wide and rising between 1.5 and 2 metres in height, sweeping in an arc from south through west to north-west. That geometry is the remnant of what would once have been a full circuit. Over time, the surviving section has been folded into the field boundary system of the surrounding land, a fate common to earthworks in agricultural Ireland, where ancient features were often retained not out of any particular reverence but simply because a ready-made bank is a useful thing to have.

Rated 0 out of 5

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of Pete F
Pete F
IrishHistory.com is passionate about helping people discover and connect with the rich stories of their local communities.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Ringfort (Rath), Lisnarawer, Co. Sligo. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 100 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.

Advertisement