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Mortlestown Hill

Rath

<b>Mortlestown Hill</b>Posted by bawn79Image © Bawn79 © 2008
Also known as:
  • Cathair Murthuile

Nearest Town:Kilfinnane (2km NE)
OS Ref (IE):   R665218 / Sheet: 73
Latitude:52° 20' 48.83" N
Longitude:   8° 29' 29.91" W

Added by bawn79


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<b>Mortlestown Hill</b>Posted by bawn79 <b>Mortlestown Hill</b>Posted by bawn79 <b>Mortlestown Hill</b>Posted by bawn79

Fieldnotes

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Its funny this hill-fort is signposted from the road but when you get there, there isnt a path or anything. Ive since read that it is on private property and there is no access!
I stopped by a lane that leads to a farmyard which doesnt have a house attached to it.
It is only about 500m from the road.
The rath itself has great 360 views of the hills around it. The trench between the rings of the ring-fort are very deep and the middle part of the rath is raised up, probably to about 4-5 metres above the surrounding land which gives it a very commanding position.
What really interested me about the site was the reference in the folklore to it being a possible site of "Teamhair Luachra".
bawn79 Posted by bawn79
15th July 2008ce

Folklore

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Taken from

http://www.ballyhoura.com/attractheritageframe2.htm

Cathair Murthuile Ringfort
Ringforts were farmsteads built in the Early Christian period (c. 500-1000 AD). They were agricultural centres, but also had a strong focus on craft. This fort location, on a hilltop, is an unusual location for a ringfort. The scale of the enclosing elements, and its location would indicate that this was a high status fort which was likely to have been more than a residential complex and may have some association with Ardpatrick which is visible from here on a hill top to the south. It has been suggested that this is the site of the old 'Teamhair Luachra' referred to in early Irish literature.
bawn79 Posted by bawn79
15th July 2008ce