Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

Some 300m from the sea to the W but in a low-lying sheltered location with restricted views and overgrown with grass and blackthorn. Not recorded on the first edition of the OS 6-inch map but indicated on the later Cassini edition (1915). Probably referred to by Westropp (1905, 345) as one of ‘some seven or eight defaced forts at a place called Shanbally in Ballyryan, towards the sea.’
A subcircular area (int. diams. 21.5m N-S; 18.5m E-W) is defined by a drystone wall which is largely obscured by overgrowth. However, internal wall facing at W and WNW appears original (H 0.6-1m; T 1.4m) and the wall has been rebuilt E - SE. Externally, the wall survives from WNW to N (H 1.4m) and the lower half may be original. A gap at NNE (Wth 0.8m) is later.
On field inspection in 1998, a large rock was located to the S of centre and the interior had been cleared of overgrowth with clearance stone piled against the internal perimeter of the cashel wall at NE. Clearance stone has also been piled against the perimeter of the cashel externally from NE to W. Later walls abut the cashel in the NNE, SSE and WSW.

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Lynda McCormack

Date of upload: 7 November 2022

References

Westropp, T. J. 1905 Prehistoric remains (Forts and Dolmens) along the borders of Burren, in the county of Clare. Part 2 - west Corcomroe. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. 35, 342-61.