Parknaravy Fort, Ballyteige Upper, Co. Limerick
In a pasture overlooking a valley to the north, Parknaravy Fort sits quietly in Ballyteige Upper, County Limerick.
Parknaravy Fort, Ballyteige Upper, Co. Limerick
This rectangular earthwork measures 40 metres from north to south and 24.5 metres from east to west, enclosed by an earthen bank that rises half a metre on the inside and 1.6 metres on the exterior. A fosse, or defensive ditch, runs around the outside of the bank, carved 1.6 metres deep into the surrounding land.
The fort, which locals have long referred to as “the Moat”, lies adjacent to another archaeological feature to its north, catalogued as site 038-135. Today, both the enclosing earthwork and the interior space are heavily overgrown with vegetation, making it difficult to fully appreciate the site’s original form. Despite this natural cover, the basic structure of this early medieval ringfort remains clearly visible in the landscape.
These types of enclosed settlements were once common across Ireland, serving as fortified farmsteads for prosperous families between roughly 500 and 1200 AD. The substantial earthen defences at Parknaravy, with their combination of bank and fosse, would have provided both security and status for their inhabitants. While the site may appear unremarkable to the casual observer today, it represents an important piece of Limerick’s archaeological heritage; a tangible link to the farming communities who shaped this landscape over a thousand years ago.





