Bawn, Kilcash, Co. Tipperary South
On the lower south-facing slopes of Slievenamon mountain in Kilcash Wood, County Tipperary, lies a well-preserved earthen enclosure that offers a glimpse into Ireland's ancient past.
Bawn, Kilcash, Co. Tipperary South
This circular fortification measures approximately 24 metres north to south and 22.5 metres east to west, defined by substantial earthen banks that still stand impressively after centuries of weathering. The main defensive bank reaches widths of nearly 7 metres and rises over 1.5 metres above the interior ground level, whilst an external fosse, or defensive ditch, runs around much of the perimeter with depths varying from 0.66 to 1.66 metres.
The southern section of the site reveals interesting defensive modifications, where the inner bank has been reduced to a scarp standing 1.37 metres high. Here, an additional outer bank stretches 7.5 metres wide and rises 1.7 metres, incorporating what appears to be an original entrance feature just 1.3 metres wide. This narrow entranceway would have been easily defended, suggesting the site’s builders were concerned with controlling access to the interior space.
Today, the enclosure’s interior is densely planted with conifer trees, whilst deciduous trees ring the edges, creating an atmospheric woodland setting. Among these trees stand the remains of a rectangular house, catalogued separately as monument TS078-028, which likely represents a later period of occupation. Whether this structure dates from the medieval period or represents an even later reuse of the ancient site remains part of the ongoing archaeological puzzle that sites like this present to researchers and visitors alike.





