Ranaghan is a
townland
A townland (; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a traditional small land division used in Ireland and in the Western Isles of Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of medieval Gaelic origin, predating the Norman invasion, and mo ...
and archaeological site in
County Westmeath
County Westmeath (; or simply ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It formed part of the historic Kingdom of ...
,
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
.
Introduction
It is south-west of
Lough Lene
Lough Lene (Irish language, Irish: ''Loch Léinn'') is a lake situated in north County Westmeath, Ireland, between the villages of Castlepollard, Collinstown and Fore Abbey, Fore.
It has a rich and varied history, including several prehistor ...
on high ground where there are a multitude of
ringforts.
Randoon (Randún), possibly the most famous fort of the area, is between
Castlepollard and
Collinstown. Turgesius the
Viking
Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9� ...
is believed to have governed and sojourned in this area.
Origins
Ringfort
Ringforts or ring forts are small circular fortification, fortified settlements built during the Bronze Age, Iron Age and early Middle Ages up to about the year 1000 AD. They are found in Northern Europe, especially in Ireland. There are ...
s are fortified settlements, generally agreed to be from the Early Medieval Period in Northern Europe, especially Ireland. They are also known as ''ráth'' (as in Ranaghan) ''caiseal'', ''cathair'' and ''dún'' (as in
Randoon/Randún) in the early Irish sources. A ''ráth'' (anglicised rath) was made of earth; ''caiseal'' (northwestern Ireland, anglicised cashel) and ''cathair'' (southwestern Ireland) were built of stone. A ''dún'' is a more prestigious site, the seat of a local chieftain or ruler; the term is also applied to promontory forts.
Locations
No historical or archaeological maps, surveys, nor records of the Early Medieval Period in Ireland approach the dates of the Irish ringforts. The areas surrounding
Lough Lene
Lough Lene (Irish language, Irish: ''Loch Léinn'') is a lake situated in north County Westmeath, Ireland, between the villages of Castlepollard, Collinstown and Fore Abbey, Fore.
It has a rich and varied history, including several prehistor ...
(meaning "fertile soil") of
Collinstown, Glenidan, Comerstown, Ranaghan, are dotted with ringforts, testifying to the land of fertile soil.
Collines 02 de Ranaghan.JPG, Gillardstown: view to Ranagahan Hills
Ranaghan hills.JPG, Overgrown ringfort
Ringforts or ring forts are small circular fortification, fortified settlements built during the Bronze Age, Iron Age and early Middle Ages up to about the year 1000 AD. They are found in Northern Europe, especially in Ireland. There are ...
s, Ranaghan Hills
Collines de Ranaghan.JPG, Gillardstown and Ranagahan Hills
See also
*
Grianan of Aileach
*
Hill of Tara
The Hill of Tara ( or ) is a hill and ancient ceremonial and burial site near Skryne in County Meath, Ireland. Tradition identifies the hill as the inauguration place and seat of the High Kings of Ireland; it also appears in Irish mythology. ...
*
Turgesius
Turgesius (died 845) (also called Turgeis, Tuirgeis, Turges, and Thorgest) was a Viking chief active in Ireland during the 9th century. Turgesius Island, the principal island on Lough Lene, is named after him. It is not at all clear whether the na ...
Further reading
*
* {{cite book , last=Stout , first=Matthew , title=The Irish Ringfort , publisher=Four Courts Press , location=Dublin , date=1997 , isbn=1851825827
"...Randún - a hill overlooking Lough Lene Collinstown W.Meath...", recorded by K. Molloy, found in the Glenidan Schools' Collection of the National Folklore Collection, UCD (recognised as one of Europe’s largest archives of oral tradition and cultural history, and inscribed in 2017 to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register), www.duchas.ie"...From the top of it can be seen three forts Ran Dún, on the northern side, one on the western side and one on the southern side..." recorded in 1938 by Dómhnaill De Bhealatúin, found in the Collinstown Schools’ Collection of the National Folklore Collection, UCD (recognised as one of Europe’s largest archives of oral tradition and cultural history, and inscribed in 2017 to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register), www.duchas.ie
External links
The Modern Antiquarian: Website containing further informationMegalithic: Website containing a Layout and Description
Medieval history of Ireland
Forts in Ireland
Archaeological sites in County Westmeath
Townlands of County Westmeath
Former populated places in Ireland