Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

The central one of three enclosures (with CL004-024---- c. 110 m to SSW and CL004-026---- c. 170m to NNE) on a narrow, level, N-S exposed rock terrace on the W-face of a steep slope (on the 400 foot contour), overlooked by higher ground to E. Not recorded on the first edition of the OS 6-inch map but indicated on the later Cassini edition (1915). Listed as ‘enclosure’ in the RMP (1996).
Referred to by Westropp (1905, 352) as one of ‘three rude old enclosures of slab masonry, partly rebuilt, but embodying ancient work, though neither regular nor massive’ and which were ‘evidently cattle bauns’.
A D-shaped area (diams. 21.2m N-S; 17.2m E-W) with the straight side along E (est. L 21.4m) is defined by a double-faced, drystone wall (T 1-1.15m at N and S – 2.3m at E; int. H 0.8-1.2m; ext. H 0.4-1m) which has collapsed from SE-SW and at NE. The outer wall facing is well-preserved throughout (av. H 1m; max. H 1.6m at N-NNE) while inner wall facing (H c. 1.2m) is best preserved from N-NE and from ESE-S.

Reference
Westropp, T.J. 1905 Prehistoric remains (forts and dolmens) along the borders of Burren, in the County of Clare (continued). Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 35, 342-61.

See attached CL004-025----_1: overall view from SW

Compiled by: Gearoid Conroy and Lynda McCormack

Date of upload: 30 September 2022