Clonallon Rath

We arrived at Clonallon Rath at the same time as a local archaeology day trip!

Clonallon Rath housed part of the native population of Warrenpoint. There are numerous ring forts scattered throughout the nearby countryside like this which protected the people from various raids and attacks which at the time were headed by Danish Vikings. The attacks were numerous, due to the fact that Carlingford Lough was not unlike those in Norway, though much milder.

With fertile land, and good hunting in the oak forests sloping the mountains, it became necessary to build these protective enclosures to house farmers, livestock and various buildings and also to provide a crucial advantage to those who fought.

The central summit of the Rath is generally flat, and surrounded by three banks with ditches between each. It is the norm for Raths such as this to have a circular or oval plan, and at the time of use, it would have been surrounded by a fence for extra protection.

From Clonallon Rath, it is possible to see over a large part of the countryside; a crucial defensive feature as any potential enemies could be seen from a great distance. The Rath is approximately one mile from the coast, strategically placed so that the occupants could escape by sea if the need arose.