Ringfort (Rath), Clashganniff, Co. Limerick

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Ringforts

Ringfort (Rath), Clashganniff, Co. Limerick

A circular earthen enclosure sitting quietly in a Limerick pasture, this ringfort at Clashganniff is one of thousands of such sites scattered across Ireland, yet each one carries its own particular character.

A rath, to use the Irish term, is a type of ringfort defined by its earthen construction rather than stone, typically built during the early medieval period as a defended farmstead for a single family or small community. This one measures 27 metres in diameter, a modest but respectable size, and its defining feature is the combination of a raised internal bank and an external fosse, the shallow ditch that once gave the enclosure its defensive profile.

The bank here survives to an internal height of 1.2 metres and an external height of 2.5 metres, meaning the outer face would have presented a reasonably imposing barrier to anyone approaching from ground level. The fosse running from the south-west round to the south-south-east is 3.5 metres wide and currently about 0.4 metres deep, though erosion over the centuries will have reduced its original depth considerably. The most legible section of the bank runs along the south-eastern arc, where the structure is best preserved. Entry was via a causeway on the east-south-east side, wide enough at 7.8 metres to allow the passage of animals as well as people, which is consistent with the agricultural function these enclosures typically served. The site sits on a gentle east-facing slope, a position that would have offered good drainage and a clear view down the slope, two practical considerations that clearly guided whoever chose this ground. The record was compiled by Denis Power and uploaded in August 2011.

The interior is currently overgrown with briars and nettles, and the bank is heavily masked by vegetation, so a visit requires a certain tolerance for rough ground. The south-eastern arc is the best place to read the surviving earthworks, and the causeway entrance at the east-south-east is identifiable if you are looking for it. The site sits in open pasture, so access depends on local landowner permission, as is standard for the vast majority of ringforts in private agricultural land across Ireland. Autumn or late winter, when the vegetation has died back, will give considerably clearer views of the bank profile than a summer visit.

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Pete F
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