Known simply as ‘The Fort’ on early Ordnance Survey maps from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this circular enclosure measured between 25 and 30 metres in diameter. Today, no visible trace remains of this ancient structure, which occupied a patch of low-lying, somewhat damp terrain that now serves as quality grazing land for livestock.

Ringforts like this one were amongst the most common settlement types in early medieval Ireland, typically dating from around 500 to 1200 AD. These circular earthworks, surrounded by banks and ditches, served as defended farmsteads for prosperous farmers and their families. The choice of location for this particular fort, situated in fertile grassland despite the slightly wet conditions, suggests its inhabitants were likely engaged in cattle rearing; a practice that formed the backbone of Ireland’s early medieval economy.

The site’s documentation comes from the comprehensive Archaeological Survey of County Donegal, compiled in 1983 by Brian Lacey and his team of archaeologists. This survey catalogued field antiquities spanning from the Mesolithic period through to the 17th century, preserving crucial information about sites like this ringfort that might otherwise be forgotten. Though the physical structure has been lost to time and agricultural development, its memory persists through these archaeological records, offering a glimpse into the lives of those who once called this corner of Donegal home.