Reyfad

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title: "Reyfad" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["townlands-of-county-fermanagh"] topic_path: "general/townlands-of-county-fermanagh" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reyfad" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameReyfad
native_nameRáth Fada
native_name_langIrish
settlement_typeTownland
etymology"Long fort"
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameNorthern Ireland
subdivision_type1County
subdivision_name1Fermanagh
elevation_max_m398
elevation_max_ft1,306
::

| name = Reyfad | native_name = Ráth Fada | native_name_lang = Irish | image = | image_caption = | settlement_type = Townland | etymology = "Long fort" | map_caption = | coordinates = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Northern Ireland | subdivision_type1 = County | subdivision_name1 = Fermanagh | elevation_m = | elevation_max_m = 398 | elevation_max_ft = 1,306 | area = | references = | direction = vertical | width = 260 | image1 = Reyfad Stones.jpg | image2 = Reyfad 22.jpg | image3 = Reyfad 29.jpg | caption3 = Curvilinear art

Reyfad () is a townland in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It lies in the land division of Old Barr, in the civil parish of Boho. The townland has previously been called Rayfadd - 1659, Raffada (Magheryboy) - 1672 and Ráith Fada "long fort" - 1833.

This high plateau is known for its extensive cave system (see Caves of the Tullybrack and Belmore hills) and Neolithic stones.

The summit of a nearby hill is known as Tullybrack or Reyfad Mountain (398 m) but it is in fact situated in the townland of Aghamore, County Fermanagh, also within the Boho area.

History

Nearby to Tullybrack summit lies Two Dogs (derived from the meaning "the hill of the two hounds"), which was the site of an ancient clan battle, as recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters: ::quote A great number of the men of BreifnySee Breifne. were disabled and slain by Muinter-Feodachain, on the hill of Odhra, in Sliabh-da-Chon. They lost no less than forty men, together with Conor, the son of Donnell Mac Sweeny, who had gone on that incursion through folly and youth. Some of the men of Dartry, and others of the people of the Clann-Hugh Maguire, were slain there. ::

Reyfad Stones

The Reyfad Stones are six stones on the side of a hill, five of which have curvilinear cup and ring markings which date from the Neolithic to the Iron Age, about 5000 years ago. They are located behind the Sacred Heart Church in Boho (OS Ref (GB): H112462 / Sheet: 17). These are designated as a scheduled monument (SM 210:13) by the Environment and Heritage service at the Department of the Environment. The largest stone measures over 3 x and has megalithic inscriptions all across its surface; this pattern is inscribed deeper on the smaller stones. Similar megalithic art found at Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth is dated circa 3200 BC.

Reyfad cave system

Main article: Caves of the Tullybrack and Belmore hills

Reyfad high plateau is known for its extensive cave system (see Caves of the Tullybrack and Belmore hills) and Neolithic stones.

Little Reyfad

Grid ref: H096465. The rocks of this sinkhole consist of Dartry Limestone, Knockmore Limestone and chert. The site has been designated a PASSI. Little Reyfad is at the base of a shakehole. A series of descents (7 m) leads to a floor of broken chert, followed by a further 3 metre difficult descent to another base, which is blocked with a rock and gravel.

Reyfad Pot (''Pota Raith Fada'')

Grid ref: H08894687. The rocks from this formation comprise Carn and Dartry Limestones with some Glenade Sandstone. Breccia, chert, calcite and gypsum deposits can also be found.

This cave is noted by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency as being the most important underground karst site in Northern Ireland. At 193 m deep and 6.7 km long, it is the deepest cave system in Ireland and the second-longest in Northern Ireland. This site is a PASSI and is a very active cave with many calcite formations and fossiliferous limestone, which includes evidence of Brachiopods and Crinoids. The extended area is hypothesised to have formed from the last glacial period (Pleistocene).

Access is by permission of landowner only.

Notes

References

References

  1. Boho Heritage Organisation. (2009). "Boho Heritage: A treasure trove of history and lore". Nicholson & Bass.
  2. Andrew Halpin, Conor Newman. (2006). "Ireland: an Oxford archaeological guide to sites from earliest times to AD 1600". Oxford University Press.
  3. "Mountain views".
  4. [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/FERMANAGH-GOLD/2007-04/1176971631 RootsWeb] - O'Donovan
  5. {{cite AFM
  6. Andrew Halpin, Conor Newman. (2006). "Ireland: an Oxford archaeological guide to sites from earliest times to AD 1600". Oxford University Press.
  7. "The Irish Quaternary Studies Online Project". IRQUAS.
  8. "Boho Heritage Sites". Discover Briefne.
  9. "Newgrange".
  10. "Reyfad–Carrickbeg; Little Reyfad – Summary". [[National Museums Northern Ireland]].
  11. "Reyfad–Carrickbeg; Reyfad Pot – Summary". [[National Museums Northern Ireland]].
  12. "The Knockmore Scarpland Geodiversity Profile". [[Northern Ireland Environment Agency]].
  13. "All regions – Deepest caves". UK Caves.
  14. "N Ireland – Longest caves". UK Caves.
  15. "Belmore, Ballintempo & Tullybrack Uplands; Reyfad–Carrickbeg". [[National Museums Northern Ireland]].
  16. "Geological Survey of Ireland". [[Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources]].
  17. "Restricted Access". [[Speleological Union of Ireland]].

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townlands-of-county-fermanagh