Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

On a slightly elevated rise in the karst Burren plateau, in pasture within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-001001-). Views of Slieve Elva to the NNW and an ENE–WSW ridge c. 480m to the S. Hachured and named ‘Cahermakerrila’ on the 1842 and 1916 eds. of the OS 6-inch maps, and named ‘Cathair Mhic Oirialle’ on Robinson’s map (1977). Westropp (1915, 49–52) traced the cashel’s eponymous ‘son of Irial’—of Slicht Irriell, a branch of the Corcamodruadh (O’Conor and O’Loughlin) tribe—to c. 1430 or later. However, he also noted that ‘forts are commonly called after their later occupants’ (Westropp 1915, 50; see also FitzPatrick 2008) and that the original foundation may have been earlier. In 1893, it was described as ‘in a state of great dilapidation’ (Frost 1893, 32).

A subcircular cashel (34.3m N–S; 33.4m E–W) defined by a drystone wall (Wth 4m; int. H 0.3–0.4m; ext. H 0.8–2.6m) enclosing a raised area and with an entrance (Wth 1.2m) to the ESE. The wall is highest from NE to ENE and has a well-laid outer face, with large blocks (L c. 1m; H c. 1m) at the base and smaller slabs (av. L c. 0.3; H c. 0.15m) toward the top. A displaced lintel (L 1.4m; T 0.45m; H 0.4m) lies adjacent to the entrance and there are two possible stone buttresses against the outer wall-face to the NE. The N buttress (L 3.5m; T 1.1m; H c. 2m) is larger than the S (T 2m; L 1.8m; H c. 2m). The interior surface is at the same level as the top of the cashel wall but slopes down to the entrance at the ESE.

There is a hut site (CL009-001039-) in the NE interior and a collapsed drystone wall (est. Wth c. 2m; H 0.7m) meanders ESE–WNW across the middle of the interior. A field wall abuts the S buttress and two drystone rectilinear structures (both est. L c. 7.5m; est. Wth c. 5m) abut the cashel exterior on its SE and SW sides. These appear to be relatively modern in date; they are marked on the OS 25-inch map (1897), but not on the 1842 ed. of the 6-inch OS map. Westropp (1915, 53) described them as ‘an old oblong house’ (SE) and ‘two later ruined cabins’ (SW).

There is a house of indeterminate date (CL009-001040-) c. 19m to the SE, a hut site (CL009-001004-) c. 144m to the WSW and an enclosure (CL009-001003-) c. 176m to the WSW.

Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott

Date of upload: 11 October 2021

References

Westropp, T.J. 1915 Prehistoric remains (forts and dolmens) in Burren and its south western border, Co. Clare. Part 12: North Western Part. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 5, 45-62, 249-74.

FitzPatrick, E. 2008 Cahermacnaghten: investigating Gaelic estates. In M. Comber and C. Jones (compilers), Burren landscape and settlement. An Irish National Strategic Archaeological Research (INSTAR) Programme, 132-157. The Heritage Council.

Frost, J. 1893 The history and topography of the County of Clare, from the earliest times to the 18th century. Dublin. Sealy, Bryers and Walker.