2012:561 - Rathnadrinna, Lalor’s-Lot, Tipperary

Rathnadrinna is a multivallate, circular hilltop enclosure situated in Lalor’s-Lot townland, 3.33km south-south-east of Cashel, Co. Tipperary. The site lies on top of a hill at a height of 122m OD, affording extensive views in all directions, and is inter-visible with a number of high-status enclosures surrounding the Rock of Cashel. Rathnadrinna fort measures 140m in external diameter, and c. 90m between its internal banks. The interior of the fort, c. 0.6ha, is generally flat with slight rises towards the north-east and south-west corners. The banks and ditches are extensively covered with trees and low-lying vegetation.

Rathnadrinna is the largest and best preserved of Cashel’s forts, and research here presents an ideal opportunity to learn more about the evolution and function of such sites in a royal landscape – Cashel of the Kings. From the 7th century AD Cashel was synonymous with the Eóganacht dynasty and later still the Dal gCais and the McCarthy’s until the late 12th century. Rathnadrinna may be one of the inauguration sites of the kings of Cashel and Munster – Rath na nIrlann [Lis na nUrlann] (FitzPatrick 2004, 179). The Yellow Book of Lecan reads – ‘It is in this wise that the kings of Munster be elected…he should be brought to the Stone of Cothraige [Patrick’s Rock], and Cormac’s great church [Cormac’s Chapel] and there proclaimed king and be brought to Lis na nUrlann in Cashel and proclaimed [there also]’ (Ó Riain-Raedel 2006, 177). This is tantalizing evidence for a royal association between Rathnadrinna and the Rock of Cashel from the 12th century. Locally the site is known as ‘fort of the contest’. Professor Padraig Ó Riain has recently suggested that the name drinne may derive from drom, signifying assembly/meeting area, and the translation ‘fort of the contest’, first used by cartographer John O’Donovan in 1840, is incorrect (P. Ó Riain, pers. comm.) In 2009 and 2010 the Heritage Council funded geophysical surveys of the hillside undertaken by Earthsound Archaeological Geophysics. This work showed that within the centre of the fort is a 70m-diameter anomaly of earth/stone, represented by a c. 0.5m-thick layer of compacted material enclosed by a circular ditch. The compacted layer appears to be cut by numerous concentric smaller ditches. Other ring-ditches and arcing ditches were detected across the hillside around, within, and cut by Rathnadrinna fort, indicating that some features predate the upstanding monument seen today. Rathnadrinna fort and its environs are ideal for archaeological prospecting and excavation. The use of multiple high-resolution non-invasive techniques has revealed a very complex, multi-phased monument of major archaeological significance. The complexity of the site is comparable to findings from other Irish royal sites such as Navan Fort, Dún Ailinne, Cruachan and Tara. The excavation commenced on 11 June for nine weeks until August 10 2012. This timescale coincided with the wettest June on record, and as the weather did not improve in July, substantial delays occurred during the excavation. The excavation was staffed by volunteers and on-site training was provided for all.

Cutting 1, Area A
This cutting measured 3m by 65m and was oriented north-west/south-east, beginning outside the south-eastern side of the fort, continuing through the ramparts and extending into the fort interior. The cutting was located to reveal a number of ditch-like anomalies discovered during the earlier geophysical surveys (O’Brien et al., 2010). Upon excavation one geophysics anomaly was identified as a 1m wide and 0.5m deep ditch, containing sterile fills. The ditch appeared to cut post-holes and pits, either associated with settlement beyond the fort or with prehistoric settlement on the hillside. There was no dating evidence from any of these features and the fills were largely sterile. Some of the post-holes and some narrow stone-lined linear features may have formed one portion of a post-built structure, the full excavation of which is planned for 2013.
A stone-lined cereal-drying kiln was partially revealed c. 5m outside the fort. Its upper courses had been removed by ploughing. The portion of the excavated flue measured 0.8m wide (north-south), 0.7 long and 0.42m in depth. The full length of the flue was traced to the east beyond the excavation using magnetic susceptibility surveying. The bowl, which measured 1.7m by 1.8m, produced in situ charcoal, burnt clay and an unidentified iron object. Traces of nearby stone metalling may have been a working surface. On other excavated forts around Cashel, cereal-drying kilns have been dated between the 6th–12th centuries AD, and were similarly located close to the external bank.
At the base of the fort outer bank a midden was found, filled with debris such as butchered bones, iron, coal, egg shells, leather, hobnail shoes, nails, crockery, a copper alloy book clasp and clay pipe fragments. This midden represented domestic dumping from a nearby house and may have occurred as recently as the 1950’s.

Cutting 1, Area B
There was slight evidence for an outer fort ditch (Ditch A) c. 0.4m in depth, although the midden deposit and ploughing had disturbed this area greatly. Traces of this ditch were found in the geophysical surveys extending around the monument, suggesting the fort is quadrivallate in nature (O’Brien et al. 2011). Prior to excavation the fort ditches measured c. 4–4.5m wide. Upon excavation the ditches were found to be cut into the underlying gravels, measuring c. 1.5–1.8m wide at the base, and c. 1.2m deep. The ditches were generally flat-bottomed at the base and the sides sloped gradually upward to the banks. The ditch bases were lined with densely packed stones and the fills were very similar, consisting of homogenous clays which appear to have accumulated over a long period. Three of the fort ditches produced small quantities of animal bones; in particular the innermost ditch (Ditch D), contained leg bones, teeth and a clavicle, probably bovine. Ditch C contained a shallow deposit of charcoal-rich soil from which a radiocarbon date will be sought. A small curved iron object was found in an upper fill of Ditch B; a lead pistol shot was found in an upper fill of Ditch D.
Ditch B contained stone deposits laid against the internal face of the outermost fort bank (Bank 1), which itself had a stepped profile. These deposits may have been laid to strengthen the bank or could represent post-medieval landscaping associated with the trees planted around the fort. In places along the fort Bank 1 is revetted with dry stone-walling on its inner face. Three of the banks contained metalled stone surfaces which partially extended into the top of the ditches. The banks measured between 1.8–2.5m wide and reached a maximum of 1.8m in height. The innermost banks (Banks 3 and 4) were much denuded and it is possible there may be phased bank construction, with the outermost banks (Banks 1 and 2) added later; the dating of the ditch fills will be important in understanding such phasing. Bank 3 consisted of burnt stones, and a single post-hole (0.25m by 0.27m by 0.18m deep) containing a charcoal-rich fill had been cut into the burnt stones. Partial excavation of Bank 4 revealed a possible sod horizon. As no dating evidence was found under these surfaces it is proposed to investigate each bank in 2013.

Cutting 1, Area C
Cutting 1 continued into the centre of the fort to investigate in particular a strong magnetic anomaly interpreted as a ditch, predating the fort’s construction. The discovery and excavation of this ditch is of critical importance to the understanding of the chronology of the fort. The excavation identified the anomaly as a flat-bottomed V-shaped ditch oriented south-east/north-west. This ditch measured 0.9m deep and c. 1.5m wide. The base was filled with sterile stony clays after which the ditch filled up considerably until charcoal-rich clays and burnt stones were deposited on the surface, slumping into the ditch. This deposit contained burnt animal bones, teeth and one small antler off-cut, worked on all sides. There was no evidence of in situ burning in the ditch so this material derived from elsewhere. On either side of the ditch were a number of post-holes which did not form any pattern. Three stake-holes found on the southern side of the ditch were filled with charcoal and may be associated with the burnt stone deposit. A number of narrow linear features were aligned similar to the ditch with sterile fills. However, it was noticeable that between this early ditch and the fort bank there was sparse evidence of occupation. The ditch was sealed by deep plough soil-type clay that extended south toward the innermost bank of the fort.
The northern end of Cutting 1 was intended to target a number of concentric circular geophysical anomalies which have been interpreted as pit/post circles within the fort. This area also contained the geophysical anomaly of compacted material. Upon excavation the interior of the fort was characterised by a multitude of post-holes, stake-holes and pits, with a number of arcing slot-trenches defined by further stake-holes. Unfortunately, there was no cultural material from these features apart from occasional charcoal flecks from some pits. Clearly some of the post-holes were substantial enough for load-bearing posts supporting a roofed structure and, in places short arcing lines of posts were evident. None of the post-holes contained substantial packing stones although a number of posts were pointed. Due to the number of features identified, and the inclement weather, it was decided to record the features in pre-excavation plan, and concentrate excavation on a 10m long section of the cutting. It is currently interpreted that the post-holes and pits are cut into the compacted soil material, and therefore further archaeological layers should be encountered beneath. The completion of this area is a priority for 2013.

Cutting 2
This cutting measured 5m by 10m and was oriented south-west/north-east to investigate as many of the geophysical anomalies as possible, including some of the same anomalies as in Cutting 1. Upon excavation Cutting 2 was found to contain the same multitude of post-holes, stake-holes and pits as identified in Cutting 1, Area 3. All features were recorded in pre-excavation plan. A number of post-holes were sectioned and samples of charcoal were taken from a ditch-like deposit, which may equate with the pre-fort ditch excavated in Cutting 1, Area 3 to the south-east.
All archaeological features were sampled with the fort ditches, kiln, old ground surfaces and pre-fort ditch fills bulk sampled. Apart from the artefacts found in the midden the bulk of artefacts recovered were lithics, in the form of chert and flint nodules and flakes. This supports the likelihood that prehistoric horizons survive on the hillside. The soil sieving and metal detecting of archaeological soils have so far revealed no other artefact types. At the conclusion of the excavation all archaeological features were sealed with terram and backfilled. In 2013 excavations will focus on fully excavating those portions of Cuttings 1 and 2 not completed to date.
All excavation works were funded by a grant from the Archaeological Committee of the Royal Irish Academy and facilitated by the generosity of the landowners Tom and Margaret Horan. Links to the Rathnadrinna Research Project can be found on www.facebook.com/rathnadrinna.
Rathnadrinna, Lalor’s-Lot. Mid-excavation of the stone deposit in the base of Ditch C, facing north.

Rathnadrinna, Lalor’s-Lot. Mid-excavation of Cutting 1, Area C within the fort, facing south. The pre-fort ditch is visible to rear.

References
FitzPatrick, E. 2004 Royal Inauguration in Gaelic Ireland c.1100-1600 A Cultural Landscape Study. The Boydell Press, Woodbridge.
O’Brien, R., Bonsall, J. and Gimson, H. 2010 Rathnadrinna Fort (RMP No. TI061-089001), Lalor's-Lot Townland, Cashel, County Tipperary, Report on Year 2 of Archaeological Geophysical Surveys, Unpublished Report to the Heritage Council, Ref. 17108.
O’Brien, R., Gimson, H. and Bonsall, J. 2011 Revealing royal Rathnadrinna. Current Archaeology 259, 26–33.
Ó Riain-Raedel, D. 2006 Cashel and Germany: the documentary evidence, In D. Ó Riain-Raedel & D. Bracken (eds) Ireland And Europe in the Twelfth Century Reform and Renewal, 176–217. Four Courts Press, Dublin.

Boscabell, Cashel, Co. Tipperary.