© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)
Rath — a e.christ. rath is an early Christian ringfort located near Omagh in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. The monument sits upon bedrock of the Shanmullagh Formation, a geological unit of Famennian age composed of sandstone, mudstone, siltstone and conglomerate. This varied geology underlies the rolling landscape characteristic of this part of Ulster.
Raths are defended homesteads defined by one or more concentric earthen or stone banks, typically enclosing an area of domestic and agricultural activity. This example represents the class of early Christian settlement that emerged in Ireland from the fifth century onwards, often associated with monastic or ecclesiastical communities. The form suggests a period of reorganisation in local settlement patterns following the arrival of Christianity.
The site is protected under the Historic Environment Division of the Department for Communities, with monument record number 15269. It survives as an archaeological monument within the wider settlement landscape of medieval Ulster, contributing to understanding of early Christian society and territorial organisation in this region.
Rath is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 15269. View the official record →
Rath — a e.christ. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 15269.
Rath dates from the e.christ. period, and is classified as a rath. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Rath is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Ni. The official designation reference is 15269.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cloghfin chambered grave. portal tomb (5.2 km), Rath (7 km), Wedge tomb (7.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Rath's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Rath stands on Shanmullagh Formation, bedrock that formed in the Famennian. The rock here is sandstone, mudstone, siltstone and conglomerate.