Rath Healy, Rathtoe, Co. Carlow
At Rath Healy in Rathtoe, County Carlow, the remains of what was once a rectangular enclosure offer a glimpse into Ireland's archaeological past.
Rath Healy, Rathtoe, Co. Carlow
The site first caught the attention of surveyors during the creation of the 1839 Ordnance Survey 6-inch map, which documented the southern side of the enclosure along with portions of its western and eastern boundaries. These features were originally defined by an earthen bank, a common defensive structure in early Irish settlements.
Today, visitors to the site will find the southern side of the enclosure still visible, though much diminished from its original form. It appears as a subtle ridge in the landscape, stretching approximately 50 metres in length but rising only about 10 centimetres above the surrounding ground level. This low profile makes it easy to miss without knowing what to look for, yet it represents centuries, if not millennia, of local history.
The information about this site comes from the Archaeological Inventory of County Carlow, first published by the Stationery Office in Dublin in 1993. Since then, ongoing research has helped refine our understanding of sites like Rath Healy, with updates reflecting new archaeological insights. Such earthwork enclosures, often called raths or ringforts, were typically used as fortified farmsteads during the early medieval period, though some may date back even further.