Rathgall
Stone Fort, in Tullow County Carlow, is a hillside fortification
with 8th century outer walls and later medieval inner walls.
Evidence from excavations carried out at Rathgall suggests that hill
forts were constructed from the late Bronze Age (800 BC) into the
Iron Age and continued to be used into post medieval times.
![](Rathgall_Stone_Fort_small.jpg)
Rathgall Hillfort
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![](Rathgall_Hillfort_small.jpg)
Rathgall Hillfort
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On excavation in 1969 Rathgall
turned out to be the first Later Bronze Age Workshop located in
Ireland and more than 400 clay moulds were also found there.
Evidence of a house was discovered in the inner stone circle with
the second and third ramparts forming the main defensive walls.
Rathgall was a huge workshop where spears, swords and shields were
fashioned. During the excavations in 1969 more than four hundred
fragments of clay moulds were found.
A further two or three hundred
were discovered away from the main workshop, showing the
considerable extent of the bronze-working area. Excavations revealed
that an important wealthy family or small community lived on the
hilltop.
Source:
http://www.discoverireland.ie/Arts-Culture-Heritage/rathgall-stone-fort/11140#
Image source:
http://dollardstown.com/?page_id=70
Image from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rathgall_Hillfort