- Ranaghan
Infobox Irish Place
name = Ranaghan
gaeilge = "Ranaghan"
crest
motto =
map
pin coords = left: 91px; top: 51px
north coord = 53.64722
west coord = 7.208201
irish grid = N463640
area =
elevation = 128m
province =Leinster
county =County Westmeath
town pop = merged with
rural pop = Castlepollard
census yr = 2006
web =
|Introduction
A townland south-west of
Lough Lene positioned on high ground where there are a multitude ofringforts ,Randoon posibly the most famous fort of the area , is situated betweenCastlepollard andCollinstown . Turgesius theViking is believed to govern and sejourne in this area.Origins
Ringforts are fortified settlements that are 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 ) 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 dun is a more prestigious site, the seat of some kind of local chieften or ruler, the term is applied to promontory forts as well.Locations
No historical or archaeological maps, surveys, nor records of the Early Medieval Period in Ireland approach the dates of the Irish ringforts. Area surrounding Lough Lene (meaning fertile soil) of
Collinstown , Glenidan, Comerstown, Ranaghan, are areas doted with a multitude of ring forts testifying to the land of fertile soil.External links
* [http://www.westmeathcoco.ie Westmeath county Council]
* [http://www.osi.ie Ordenance Survey Ireland]ee also
*
Ringforts
*Hill of Tara
*Grianan of Aileach
*Turgesius
*Lough Lene External links
* [http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/2530 The Modern Antiquarian: Website containing further information]
* [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=6333413 Megalithic: Website containing a Layout and Description]* Raftery, Barry, [http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/cbaresrep/pdf/009/00904001.pdf ‘Irish Hillforts’] in Charles Thomas (ed.), The Iron Age in the Irish Sea Province (London, 1972).
* The Iron Age in the Irish Sea Province (London, 1972).
* Stout, Matthew, The Irish Ringfort (Dublin, 1997).
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