Rathgall Hillfort Explained

52.8022°N -6.6631°W

Rathgall Hill Fort
Native Name:	An Ráth Gheal
Location:	County Wicklow, Province of Leinster
Type:	Multivallate hill fort
Width:	15 metres
Area:	7.5ha (18 acres)
Built:	1200-900BC
Epochs:	Bronze Age
Excavations:	1969
Condition:	Partially preserved
Ownership:	Public
Public Access:	Yes
Embedded:	Embed: yes Designation2: National Monument of Ireland Designation2 Offname: Rathgall Designation2 Number: 422^[1]

Rathgall, (Irish: An Ráth Gheal^[2]) or the Ring of the Rath is a large multivallate hill fort near the town of Shillelagh.^[3] Dating from the Bronze Age, it consists of three roughly concentric stone ramparts with a fourth masonry wall dating from the Medieval period at its centre.^[4] Rathgall is a National Monument which is in state care.^[5]

Excavations led by Barry Raftery in the 1970s the site are only partial,^[6] but yielded numerous artefacts including ceramic vessels, pot sherds and glass beads, which point to the middle to late Bronze Age activity on the site. A number of gold items have been found at the site also, as well as a burial site linked with later use of the site. Evidence of metal working comes from casts for tools and weapons,^[7] with burials pointing to a ritual element to the site beyond its agricultural and domestic use.^[8]

There are numerous legends that are associated with the site including fairies and as a site of pilgrimage for childless couples.^[9]

Further reading

• Becker, Katharina 2010. Rathgall, Co. Wicklow, Archaeology Ireland/Media House, Dublin
• Raftery, B. 1970a The Rathgall Hillfort, Co. Wicklow, Antiquity 44. 51–54.
• Raftery, B. 1970b A Decorated Strap-end from Rathgall, Co. Wicklow, Journal Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. 100. 200–211.
• Raftery, B. 1971 Rathgall, Co. Wicklow: 1970 excavations, Antiquity 45. 296–298.
• Raftery, B. 1973 Rathgall: a late Bronze Age burial in Ireland, Antiquity. 47
• Raftery, B. 1974 Rathgall, In Delaney (ed.) Excavations 1974: Summary Account of Archaeological Excavations in Ireland. Association of Young Irish Archaeologists, Ulster Archaeological Society and Group for the Study of Irish Historic Settlement. 40.
• Raftery, B. 1975-76 Rathgall, In Delaney (ed.) Excavations 1975-76: Summary Account of Archaeological Excavations in Ireland. Association of Young Irish Archaeologists, Ulster Archaeological Society and Group for the Study of Irish Historic Settlement. 42.
• Raftery, B. 1976 Rathgall and Irish Hillfort Problems, In D.W. Harding (ed.) Hillforts: Later Prehistoric Earthworks of Britain and Ireland, London: Academic Press. 339–357.
• Raftery, B. 1981 Iron Age Burials in Ireland in D. O Corrain (ed.), Irish Antiquity, 173–204.
• Waddell, J. 1998 The Prehistoric Archaeology of Ireland, Galway University Press. Galway. 270–273.

Notes and References

1. Web site: National Monuments of County Wicklow in State Care . 3 . heritageireland.ie . National Monument Service . 29 March 2020.
2. Web site: An Ráth Gheal/Rathgall. 2021-08-12. Logainm.ie. en.
3. Web site: Dowling. Simon. Rathgall Hillfort, Co. Wicklow. Aerial Archaeology A birds-eye view of Irish archaeology. 7 November 2014.
4. Web site: The Heritage Council. Significant Unpublished Irish Archaeological Excavations 1930 - 1997. The Heritage Council. The Heritage Council. 8 November 2014.
5. Web site: National Monument Service. National Monuments in State care. National Monument Service. National Monument Service. 8 November 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140911091406/http://www.archaeology.ie/NationalMonuments/NationalMonumentsinStatecarebycounty/. 11 September 2014.
6. Web site: Cultural Heritage Ireland. The Late Bronze Age Hillfort at Rathgall, Co. Wicklow, near Tullow, Co. Carlow. Cultural Heritage Ireland. 8 November 2014.
7. Web site: Raftery. Barry. Rathgall Hillfort. Visit Wicklow. Wicklow County Tourism. 8 November 2014.
8. Book: Dennis Harding

   . Harding. Dennis. Dennis Harding. Iron Age Hillforts in Britain and Beyond. 2012. Oxford University Press. Oxford. 978-0191626104. 116–117. 8 November 2014.

9. Web site: Voices from the Dawn. Ring of the Rath (Rathgall Hillfort). Voices from the Dawn. 8 November 2014.