Ringfort (Rath), Carrowcastle, Co. Mayo

Co. Mayo |

Ringforts

Ringfort (Rath), Carrowcastle, Co. Mayo

On a ridge top in County Mayo, a rough circle of hawthorn and blackthorn trees marks the outline of an early medieval ringfort, the kind of enclosure that once served as a defended farmstead for a family of some local standing.

These raths, as they are known in Irish, were built in their thousands across the island during the early medieval period, typically enclosed by an earthen bank and ditch. This one sits just below the crest of its ridge, with the ground dropping away sharply to the south and west into a small wet valley, a stream running along the base of the slope. The positioning is deliberate: enough elevation to command a view, enough shelter to be practical.

The enclosure measures roughly 28 metres north to south and just over 30 metres east to west, its boundary formed not by a conventional raised bank but by a scarp, an abrupt slope cut into the ridge surface, reaching about two metres in height on the western side. Part of this scarp has been absorbed into a later stone field fence, and the outer face of the south-western arc has been reinforced with stone to about a metre high, suggesting the earthwork has been maintained and adapted across different periods of use. A gap of around three and a half metres on the east-north-east side may preserve the position of the original entrance. Inside, the surface is level but dilapidated, scattered with loose stone. Occupying much of the centre and western half is a slightly raised subrectangular feature, roughly six metres by twelve, which may represent the footings of a house. A narrow depression runs in a straight line from the south side of this possible structure to the rath's southern scarp, its function unclear. Nearby, two large stone slabs protrude from the ground at an angle in the south-western quadrant. Abutting the possible house to the south-east is a low oval stony rise that may be a field clearance cairn, a mound formed by gathering surface stones during agricultural work. The hawthorn and blackthorn that ring the enclosure, trees long associated with rath boundaries in Irish tradition and often left undisturbed out of superstition, have begun to push inward across the interior. A second rath lies just 175 metres to the north-east, suggesting this part of the ridge was once a more densely settled landscape than the present improved pasture implies.

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), Carrowcastle, Co. Mayo. 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