Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

On the N-facing slope of a ridge, in rough grazing, with good views from NW–NE. Hachured on the 1842 and 1915 eds. of the 6-inch OS maps. Listed as ‘Enclosure’ in the SMR (1992) and the RMP (1996). A roughly circular cashel (int. diam. 20m) enclosed by a stony bank (Wth 2m; int. H 0.1–0.15m) with external facing-stones surviving highest from NE–S (H 0.8–1.2m). There is no clear trace of an entrance and the interior is generally flat and featureless. A small rectangular external annexe (5m NE–SW x 3m) at NE, a curving wall extending from the SE and field walls extending S and NW may be contemporary.
A rectangular cashel (CL004-013002-), with a small hut site (CL004-013003-) located in its NE corner, lies c. 15m to the E.
There is an unusual density of ringforts in this part of the Burren. In 1897, Borlase (1897, 65) counted twenty between Derreen West and East and thirty-three on the slope of 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 sheep folds but still believed them to be of ancient origin.

Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Ros Ó Maoldúin

Date of upload: 17 February 2021

References

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

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