Crossoona Rath facts for kids
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Ráth Chrois Uaithne
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 Location in Ireland
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| Location | Boleycarrigeen, Kilranelagh, County Wicklow, Ireland |
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| Region | Wicklow Mountains |
| Coordinates | 52°56′39″N 6°36′51″W / 52.944262°N 6.614062°W |
| Altitude | 302 m (991 ft) |
| Type | ringfort and ogham stone |
| Area | 0.41 ha (1.0 acre) |
| Diameter | 65 m (213 ft) |
| Height | 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) |
| History | |
| Material | earth |
| Cultures | Gaelic Ireland |
| Site notes | |
| Archaeologists | Grogan and Kilfeather |
| Ownership | private |
| Official name | Crossoona Rath |
| Reference no. | 418 |
Crossoona Rath is an ancient site in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is a type of old fort called a ringfort. A ringfort is a circular area surrounded by an earth bank and a ditch.
Near Crossoona Rath, there is also an ancient stone with special carvings called an ogham stone. Both the ringfort and the ogham stone are protected as a National Monument. This means they are very important historical sites.
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Where is Crossoona Rath?
Crossoona Rath is found on the side of Kilranelagh Hill. It is close to two small rivers that flow into the Slaney. The site is about 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) east of a town called Baltinglass.
Who Lived Here?
Historians believe that Crossoona Rath might have been home to important people from long ago. These people lived around 1,000 to 2,000 years ago.
Some of the people who might have lived here include:
- Eochaid Doimlén: He was a king of Leinster in the first century AD. Leinster is one of the ancient kingdoms of Ireland.
- Buchet: He is a hero from an old Irish story called "The Melodies of Buchet's House." People think he lived near Kilranelagh Hill.
- Rónán mac Aed: He is a character from another old story, "The Kinslaying of Ronan." This story also suggests he lived near Kilranelagh Hill.
Crossoona Rath was a good place for people to live. It is a large, enclosed area on the side of a hill. The hill itself, along with other nearby hills like Spinans Hill and Keadeen Mountain, helped protect the fort from bad weather.
What Does Crossoona Rath Look Like?
Crossoona Rath is mostly round. It has a bank made of earth and stone, and a ditch (or moat) around it. There is also an outer bank on the south side. Inside the fort, you can still see the old foundations of two stone buildings.
The Ogham Stone
Inside the ringfort, there is a special ogham stone. Ogham is an ancient Irish alphabet that uses lines and notches carved into stone. This stone was made between 400 and 500 AD.
The carvings on the stone read "VOTI" or "FOTI." This might be an old name, or it could be related to Irish words meaning "law" or "foundation."
