Rathgall Hillfort facts for kids
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Rath Geal
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Aerial view of the fort
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| Location | County Wicklow, Province of Leinster |
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| Type | Multivallate hill fort |
| Width | 15 metres |
| Area | 7.5ha (18 acres) |
| History | |
| Founded | 1200-900BC |
| Periods | Bronze Age |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1969 |
| Condition | Partially preserved |
| Ownership | Public |
| Public access | Yes |
Rathgall, also known as Rath Geal (which means "the white or bright fort"), is a really old and big hill fort located near Shillelagh in County Wicklow, Ireland. It's like a giant ancient castle made of stone walls, built way back in the Bronze Age. Today, Rathgall is a special place called a National Monument, which means the government helps protect it.
What is Rathgall Hill Fort?
Rathgall is a type of ancient structure called a "multivallate hill fort." This means it has many layers of walls or ramparts. Imagine a target with several rings! Rathgall has three main stone walls that go around in circles. In the very middle, there's a fourth stone wall that was built much later, during the Medieval period.
The fort is huge, covering about 7.5 hectares (that's about 18 football fields!). It was built a very long time ago, between 1200 and 900 BC, when people were using bronze for their tools and weapons.
Digging Up the Past
Archaeologists are like history detectives who dig up clues from the past. In the 1970s, a famous archaeologist named Barry Raftery led some excavations (digs) at Rathgall. They didn't dig up the whole site, but what they found was amazing!
They discovered many old items, like pieces of pottery and shiny glass beads. These finds showed that people were living and working at Rathgall during the Middle to Late Bronze Age. They also found some valuable gold items and even a burial site, which suggests the fort was used for different purposes over time.
The archaeologists also found evidence that people were making metal tools and weapons there. They found casts, which are like molds used to shape hot metal. This tells us that Rathgall wasn't just a place for farming or living. The burial sites and other clues suggest it might have been a special place for important ceremonies or rituals too.
Old Stories and Legends
Like many ancient places in Ireland, Rathgall has its own magical stories and legends. Some people say that fairies live there! Others believe it was a special place for people who wanted to have children. They would visit Rathgall hoping it would help them. These stories add to the mystery and wonder of this ancient fort.
