Ringforts / Ráthanna

Leacanabuaile, Co. Kerry

The stone fort at Leacanabuaile, Co. Kerry. The walls of stone buildings within the fort were uncovered during archaeological excavations

Courtesy of Con Brogan

Leacanabuaile, Co. Kerry
Courtesy of Con Brogan

Leacanabuaile, Co. Kerry

The stone fort at Leacanabuaile, Co. Kerry. The walls of stone buildings within the fort were uncovered during archaeological excavations

Courtesy of Con Brogan

Enlarge image

A feature of many farms in the Irish countryside, ringforts or raths are roughly circular areas, some 25 to 50 metres across, defined by an earthen bank and external ditch or, in some cases, by a wide stone wall. They would have enclosed the house and other buildings of a lord or strong farmer in the early medieval period (c. 500-1100 AD). The earthen ringforts would have been made more defensive by having a timber palisade on top of the bank and a strong timber gate and would mostly have had post-and-wattle or timber structures within. Careful archaeological excavation has often recovered the remains of such structures. In recent centuries these frequently tree-covered circles were not touched because they were regarded as the abode of the fairies.

Lisbride, Co. Roscommon

An earthen ringfort at Lisbride, Co. Roscommon, with the typical bank and external fosse

Courtesy of Con Brogan

Lisbride, Co. Roscommon
Courtesy of Con Brogan

Lisbride, Co. Roscommon

An earthen ringfort at Lisbride, Co. Roscommon, with the typical bank and external fosse

Courtesy of Con Brogan

Enlarge image

Ás Gaeilge:

Tá ráthanna le fáil i gcuid mhaith feirmeacha i dtuaithe na hÉireann. Tá cruth ciorclach orthu, a bheag nó a mhór, atá 25 go 50 méadar trasna, agus bíonn bainc chré agus díog eachtrach nó, i gcásanna áirithe, balla leathan cloiche thart timpeall orthu. Bhíodh teach agus foirgnimh eile tiarna nó feirmeora mhóir laistigh dóibh sna meánaoiseanna luatha (c. 500-1100 AD). D’fhéadfaí na ráthanna cré a láidriú trí pailis adhmad a chur ag barr an bhainc chré agus geata láidir adhmaid. Bhíodh struchtúir chuaillí agus chaolaigh nó struchtúir adhmaid ar an taobh istigh den chuid is mó. Go minic, tagtar ar iarsmaí na struchtúr seo trí thochailt chúramach seandálaíochta. Sna haoiseanna deireanacha níor baineadh de na ciorcail seo a bhíonn clúdaithe le crainn mar chreidtí gur áit chónaithe na síog ab ea iad.