Ringfort, Crumlin, Co. Galway

Co. Galway |

Ringforts

Ringfort, Crumlin, Co. Galway

What survives of this site in Crumlin, County Galway, is less than a memory and more than nothing: a set of coordinates, a few map references, and the knowledge that something was once here and is no longer.

The ringfort, a type of circular enclosure typically used as a defended farmstead during the early medieval period, measured roughly forty metres across and sat on the west-facing slope of a low hill, the kind of quiet, practical position that early farmers favoured for shelter and drainage.

The oldest Ordnance Survey six-inch map recorded it clearly as a complete circular enclosure. By the time the third edition was produced in 1932, only the north-western sector remained visible, suggesting gradual erosion or agricultural pressure across the intervening decades. The end came definitively in the mid-1960s, when, according to local information, the monument was levelled during land reclamation works. A second enclosure nearby, recorded separately, was lost at the same time. The 1960s saw considerable agricultural intensification across Ireland, and ringforts were frequently cleared to improve field drainage or increase tillage and pasture land, sometimes with grant assistance. Thousands were lost across the country during this period, and the Crumlin example was among them.

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, Crumlin, Co. Galway. 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