A shy location

Ring Fort
The faintest whisper
from a shy sign
betrayed its location.
So we stopped ,
and down a path
bordered on both sides
by a wire fence
we made our way
until
away from the sound of cars
and draped deciduously
in the shadows of some arthritic trees

there it was

keeping company with
the passing Shannon.
Its green banks still
standing proud
facing the world and what it offers
but respectfully declining.
Gone are the Norman and the Gael
and in their place
pass badger , fox and crow
unburdened by thoughts of possession.

And we stayed
no longer than we should
so when it was time
we retreated back the way we came ,
back to the sound of cars
but lit by the smile
of an October morning
Gerard Sheehy

Up with the larks, the suns shining, crosissant and coffees first and then TJ and I headed off to Brahlish ringfort for our last  sout of archaeological investigation.The neatly rewound tape measure, now permanently free from its bearings, unwound almost instantly, but we were now experienced and measured out the interior, the banks inside and out, and the fosse (moat) using that well know system of dangling off a rotten branch and sticking a stick in as far as it would go. This is  a fabulous spot - high banks (up to 8m tall)  wide watery fosse (4m) and two causeways leading up to it. Apart from that it is a haven for wildlife - lots of evidence of badger setts and runs, teamign with wild flowers and heady with the smell of gorse.
As luck would have it we also met the farmer who told us that his father remembers the field below being  ploughed by horses and a tunnel and souterrain (underground chambers) being discovered - now filled in and bumps in the field. Very satisifying.
This is the colourful companion to this one this one - the glowing amber is an interesting mixture of clay and peat and was very deep and squelchy as I can vouch.
Afternoon spent sweating over proofs.