Ringfort, Nurserypark, Co. Galway

Co. Galway |

Ringforts

Ringfort, Nurserypark, Co. Galway

A small rise in flat Galway grassland is easy to overlook, but this particular piece of elevated ground turns out to be man-made, or at least man-shaped.

Sitting just above the surrounding low-lying fields, an oval ringfort occupies the crest, its doubled earthworks still readable in the landscape after more than a thousand years of agricultural life pressing in around it.

The site is a rath, the most common type of ringfort in Ireland, typically consisting of an earthen bank enclosing a roughly circular or oval area that would once have served as a defended farmstead during the early medieval period, broadly from around the fifth to the twelfth century. This example measures approximately 38 metres east to west and just under 21 metres north to south, making it a modest but respectable oval. What distinguishes it slightly from a simpler enclosure is its bivallate construction: two concentric banks separated by a fosse, which is a ditch dug between them. The additional bank and ditch may reflect higher status, greater defensive concern, or simply the particular preferences of whoever commissioned the work. The inner bank survives best along its south-south-west to west-north-west arc, where the earthwork retains enough height and definition to give a clear sense of the original structure.

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, Nurserypark, 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