Ringfort (Rath), Tonmoyle, Co. Galway

Co. Galway |

Ringforts

Ringfort (Rath), Tonmoyle, Co. Galway

In a field in Tonmoyle, County Galway, a low mound of earth quietly defies the surrounding grassland.

What looks from a distance like a slight irregularity in the ground is, on closer inspection, the heavily overgrown remains of a rath, shaped not in the typical full circle but in a flattened D, measuring roughly 40 metres across its northeast to southwest axis. Two earthen banks enclose it, with a fosse, or defensive ditch, running between them. On its eastern side, a stream curves around the monument from the northeast through to the southeast, adding a natural water boundary to the man-made earthworks.

Raths are the most common monument type in the Irish landscape, built and occupied mainly during the early medieval period, roughly between the fifth and twelfth centuries. They served as enclosed farmsteads, protecting livestock and household structures within their banks. Most were home to a single family of relatively modest means, though the presence of two banks, rather than the single bank typical of simpler examples, suggests this one belonged to someone of somewhat higher social standing. The D-shape here is less common than a circular plan, and may reflect the particular lie of the land or the deliberate incorporation of the stream as part of the site's natural defences. Over the centuries, as farming practices changed and the enclosed structures collapsed, the banks became colonised by scrub and vegetation, leaving the kind of dense, lumpy overgrowth that now characterises the site.

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), Tonmoyle, 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