Originally marked as ‘Fort’ on the first and second editions of the Ordnance Survey 6-inch maps, the monument now tells a different story; one where the dead have claimed what was once a defensive structure. The site’s conversion into a burial ground has obliterated most of the original fortification, leaving only tantalising traces of its former glory.

What remains today are the curving outlines to the north, east and south, ghostly impressions that hint at the circular rampart that once stood here. These subtle earthworks are all that survive to mark this as archaeological site DG031-005, a ringfort that would have served as a defended homestead during Ireland’s early medieval period. The strategic placement on elevated ground with a steep rise behind would have provided both defensive advantages and commanding views across the lough, making it an ideal location for such a structure.

The fort’s transformation into a graveyard represents a common fate for many of Ireland’s ancient monuments, where successive generations repurposed sacred or significant sites for their own needs. This layering of history, from defensive fort to final resting place, creates a palimpsest in the landscape where different eras of human activity overlap and interact. The Archaeological Survey of County Donegal, compiled in 1983, provides our primary understanding of this site, though much of its original character has been lost beneath the headstones and burial plots that now dominate the space.