This unclassified fort at Ballybotemple once commanded impressive views across two glens; Glenfinn and Glenreelin, strategically positioned on prime agricultural land that would have been highly valued by its early medieval inhabitants. Though no trace of the structure appears on the first edition Ordnance Survey six-inch map, the site represents one of thousands of similar defensive homesteads that once dotted the Irish landscape.

Ringforts, known locally as ‘ráth’ or ‘lios’, served as fortified farmsteads for prosperous families between the early medieval period and the 17th century. These circular earthen banks and ditches enclosed domestic buildings, offering protection for both people and livestock whilst demonstrating the social status of their occupants. The Ballybotemple fort’s location on good land with extensive views suggests it belonged to a family of some standing in the local community, who would have carefully chosen this spot for both its defensive advantages and agricultural potential.

The site’s documentation comes from the comprehensive Archaeological Survey of County Donegal, compiled in 1983 by Brian Lacey and his team of researchers. This invaluable record captures details of field antiquities spanning from the Mesolithic period through to the 17th century, preserving knowledge of sites like Ballybotemple that might otherwise be lost to time. Without such systematic surveys, these subtle earthworks; often ploughed out, overgrown, or simply forgotten; would vanish from both the landscape and collective memory, taking with them tangible links to Ireland’s complex past.