Cliff-edge fort

The National Monuments Service's description

In hazel overgrowth at the base of the SW side of Cappanawalla Hill, an extensive terraced limestone plateau, and within a multiperiod field system (CL002-033001-). There are commanding views from S to NW. Hachured and named ‘Lismacsheedy’ on the 1842 and 1916 eds. of the OS 6-inch maps. Named ‘Lios Mac Síoda’ on Robinson’s (1997) map. Frost (1893, Appendix VII) translates this as ‘Mac Sheedy's homestead’. The name of the fort is the same as that of the townland. However, in 1660, the townland name was recorded as Lisniceada (Simington and Mac Giolla Choille 1967, 470). It was described by Westropp (1901, 276-7) as ‘a massive and well preserved cliff fort’; its wall was ‘half moon-shaped in plan’ and abutted a low cliff ‘30 feet to 60 feet high [c. 9-18m]’ that was ‘practically perpendicular’; a modern wall was built along the cliff edge. The enclosing wall was ‘very coarsely build of large slabs’ and appeared to have been built in two sections. A ‘recess’ in its inner wall-face at NE may have been for steps to access the terrace.
This large moderately well-preserved cliff-edge fort (int. dims. 62m NW-SE; 50m) is D-shaped in plan with the straight side (L c. 55m) facing SW. It is defined from NW to SSE by a roughly built but substantial wall (Wth 1.4-4m; int. H 1.4-2.7m; ext. H 1.2-2.3m), the base of which is constructed of unworked flat flags and boulders, and from SSE to NW by the modern field wall along the cliff-edge. The original entrance is not obvious but modern gaps at N and SE may have removed any evidence of it. An internal terrace (Wth 1.2m; H 0.4-0.5m) is visible from N to NNE and a recess (Wth 1.45m; D 1.2m) visible near it at NE may be that which was noted by Westropp (ibid.). A hut, probable modern in date, abuts the wall-face at NE, just north of the recess, and a small enclosure (diam. 7m) abuts it at N, the latter corresponds with that indicated on the 1916 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. The interior is very uneven and slopes to the S. Westropp (ibid., 277) recorded a hut site (CL005-018008-), just to the NE of the centre but no visible trace of it was noted. The substantial cashel ‘Caherfeenagh’ (CL002-033004-) is located c. 200m to the NW and a hut site (CL002-098----) is located c. 100m to the ENE.

Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Ros Ó Maoldúin

Date of upload: 24 January 2022

References

Westropp, T.J 1901 Prehistoric remains in north-western Clare part II. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 31, 273-91.

Simington, R.C. and Mac Giolla Choille, B. 1967 Books of survey and distribution being abstracts of various surveys and instruments of title, 1636-1703. Vol. IV: county of Clare. The Stationery Office. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

Robinson, T. 1977 (revised 1999) The Burren: a two-inch map of the uplands of north-west Clare. Map scale 1:31680. Roundstone: Folding Landscapes.

Frost, J. 1893 (Reprint 1978) The history and topography of the county of Clare: from the earliest times to the beginning of the 18th century. Dublin. Mercier Press.