Ringfort (Rath), Tircallan, Co. Donegal

Ringfort (Rath), Tircallan, Co. Donegal

In the pastoral landscape of Tircallan, County Donegal, the subtle remains of what was likely a ringfort, or rath, tell a quiet story of Ireland's medieval past.

Ringfort (Rath), Tircallan, Co. Donegal

This circular enclosure sits on a low, flat-topped elevation with ground that gently slopes towards damp areas to the west and north. The site enjoys a commanding position in the landscape, though it’s now overlooked by a forested ridge about 300 metres to the east and a hill 250 metres north, where another possible rath has been identified.

The enclosure was levelled at some point in history, leaving behind only faint traces that escaped the attention of Ordnance Survey mapmakers through all editions of their 6-inch maps. Modern technology has revealed what the naked eye might miss; LiDAR imagery clearly shows the outline of a circular enclosure approximately 38 metres in diameter. On the ground, visitors can trace a low undulation or levelled scarp, particularly visible along the southern to northeastern arc where it follows the natural fall of the terrain. The scarp reaches about 0.8 metres in height at its southwestern point, with a slope width of roughly 7 metres.



Today, the interior presents as a flat, grassy space with no visible features, though the eastern arc, where the original entrance may have been located, is barely discernible. The site was brought to the attention of the National Monuments Service by Steve McGlade and documented by Jane O’Shaughnessy in May 2022. While it may appear unremarkable to the casual observer, this levelled enclosure represents the kind of everyday defensive homestead that once dotted the Irish countryside, offering a tangible link to the lives of those who shaped this landscape centuries ago.

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Tircallan, Co. Donegal
54.8284597, -7.74262013
54.8284597,-7.74262013
Tircallan 
Ringforts 

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