Ringfort (Rath), Dromard Demesne, Co. Limerick

Co. Limerick |

Ringforts

Ringfort (Rath), Dromard Demesne, Co. Limerick

Somewhere between an early medieval farmstead and an apple orchard, this ringfort in County Limerick has been quietly repurposed in ways its original builders could scarcely have anticipated.

A rath, as these circular earthwork enclosures are known, was typically the fortified homestead of a farming family in early medieval Ireland, defined by one or more earthen banks and ditches intended to protect livestock and household. This one, set within the grounds of Dromard Demesne on a gentle north-facing slope, now shelters rows of apple trees, and is occasionally pressed into service as a run for greyhounds.

The enclosure is oval rather than perfectly circular, measuring roughly 29 metres north to south and 24.5 metres east to west. It is defined by a scarped edge, essentially a deliberately cut slope in the earth, running from the north-northeast around to the south-southwest, with an external fosse, a shallow ditch, surviving along the eastern and southern sides. That fosse is modest in its current dimensions, around two metres wide and only about 20 centimetres deep, but the scarp itself reaches 0.65 metres in height and nearly five metres in width where it is best preserved along the northern and eastern arc. There are even traces of dry-stone facing still visible on the scarp at the north-northeast, suggesting that at some point the earthwork was revetted with carefully laid unmortared stone to stabilise or define it. A modern concrete garden wall now bounds the enclosure to the northwest and north-northeast, and a public road clips the southwestern to northwestern edge, accounting for some loss of the original circuit. The record was compiled by Denis Power and uploaded in August 2011.

The fort sits within an orchard, so access is not straightforward for casual visitors. The interior is level and largely covered by apple trees, which in themselves obscure the sense of the enclosure from within. The scarp is most legible when approached from the north or east, where the profile is clearest and the remnant dry-stone facing can be picked out. The fosse to the south and east is shallow enough that it would be easy to walk across without noticing it, so it is worth moving slowly around the perimeter rather than heading straight for the interior. Autumn, when the trees are in fruit and the leaf cover has thinned slightly, may offer the clearest view of the earthwork's form.

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), Dromard Demesne, 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