Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

On high ground under pasture near the NW end of a steep ridge with commanding views over the lower ground and Galway Bay from WNW to NE. Hachured on the 1842 and 1915 eds. of the OS 6-inch maps. Listed as ‘Enclosure’ in the SMR (1992) and the RMP (1996). A poorly preserved subcircular cashel (int. dims. 23.7m E–W; 21m N–S) enclosed by a broad bank (Wth 3.8–5m; ext. H 1–1.2m at N) with occasionally visible inner and outer facing-stones (max. H 0.2m). It is overgrown from E to S and the bank has been levelled to the S. There is no visible trace of an entrance and a modern field wall runs on the bank from S to NW.
There is an unusual density of ringforts in this part of the Burren. Borlase (1897, 65) counted 20 between Derreen West and Derreen East and 33 on the slope on which they occur (including the NW-facing slope of Knockauns Mountain). Westropp (1901, 10–11) reported several of these to be largely levelled and rebuilt as sheepfolds but still believed them to be of ancient origin.

Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Ros Ó Maoldúin

Date of upload: 16 December 2020

References

Westropp, T.J 1901 Prehistoric remains in north-western Clare, part I. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 31, 1-17.

Borlase, W.C. 1897 The Dolmens of Ireland, 3 vols. London. Chapman and Hall.