This earthwork monument, likely dating from Ireland’s prehistoric or early medieval period, consists of a circular or sub-circular area defined by banks and ditches; a common feature across the Irish landscape that served various purposes from defensive settlements to ceremonial gathering places. Whilst its exact age and function remain uncertain, the enclosure forms part of Donegal’s rich archaeological tapestry, which includes everything from Neolithic tombs to medieval castles.

The site at Carthage represents one of thousands of similar monuments scattered across Ireland, each holding potential clues to how our ancestors lived, worked, and organised their communities. These enclosures varied greatly in their use; some were farmsteads where families raised livestock and grew crops, others served as meeting places for local assemblies, and some may have had ritual or religious significance. The earthworks that remain today, though weathered by centuries of Irish rain and wind, still mark the boundaries where daily life once unfolded, where cattle were corralled, where communities gathered for seasonal festivals, and where local chieftains may have held court.