Barrow (Ring Barrow), Coolalough, Co. Limerick

Co. Limerick |

Barrows

Barrow (Ring Barrow), Coolalough, Co. Limerick

A prehistoric burial monument that never made it onto the Ordnance Survey's historic maps sits quietly in wet pasture in County Limerick, close enough to the River Mahore that you might hear it before you see it.

This is one of four ring barrows clustered in the Coolalough townland, and it is the most northerly of the group. A ring barrow is a low, circular earthwork burial monument, typically consisting of a raised central platform enclosed by a shallow ditch and an outer bank, and this example follows the gentle eastward slope of the ground rather than sitting flat, giving it a slightly tilted, organic quality that formal survey drawings can only partially convey.

The site was examined by C. Tarbett in 1987, whose survey identified it as Site I and rated it the best surviving of the four barrows in the cluster. Tarbett recorded a monument 14 metres in diameter overall, with a circular interior platform of 7 metres. The ring ditch, the shallow channel that separates the central mound from its surrounding bank, measured approximately 20 centimetres in depth and 1 metre in width. The enclosing bank, low and grass-grown, could be traced all the way around the perimeter, reaching no more than 50 centimetres in height. These are modest dimensions, but the clarity of the ditch and bank made it the most legible of the group at the time of survey. Decades later, faint traces of the monument were still detectable on aerial orthophotographs taken between 2005 and 2012, on a Digital Globe image from 2011 to 2013, and on Google Earth imagery captured in May 2017, suggesting that the earthwork retains enough form to register from above even after centuries of agricultural use.

The site lies approximately 42 metres south-west of the River Mahore, which here marks the townland boundary with Oldtown. The surrounding land is described as wet pasture, so the ground underfoot is likely soft and possibly waterlogged depending on season; a visit in drier summer months would make the going easier and give the best chance of reading the low earthwork in the field. Because the monument does not appear on OSi historic maps, you will not find it flagged in the usual way; the Tarbett survey notes and the National Monuments Service record are your best references before setting out. Once on site, look for the slight rise of the interior platform and the subtle depression of the encircling ditch, both of which, despite their shallowness, can become surprisingly clear once you know what you are trying to find.

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 Barrow (Ring Barrow), Coolalough, Co. Limerick. 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