Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

At the E edge of a shelf on a gently undulating karst plateau in rough pasture, within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-001001-). The ground rises c. 100m to the W and there are wide views from N to SE. Hachured on the 1842 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. Hachured and labelled ‘Lissylisheen’ on the 1897 ed. of the OS 25-inch map and the 1920 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. Labelled ‘Lios Uí Ghlaisín’ on Robinson’s map (1977), perhaps following Frost (1893).

A subcircular enclosure (31m E–W; 29m N–S) defined by a stone wall (Wth 2.2–2.3m; H 1.2–2m) with an entrance (Wth 1m) at the E. The outer face of the wall is mostly covered by an accumulation of stone and earth. Two stones (L 0.4–0.5m; H 0.4–0.45m; T 0.1–0.2m) protrude from the walls within the entrance passage, narrowing its width to 0.7m. Westropp (1899, 369) recorded this entrance as a narrow gateway with doorposts at the inner corners.

Within the cashel, 0.8m S of the entrance, there is an L-shaped wall (Wth 0.9m) and 3m to the N there is a collapsed wall (Wth 1.4m; L 3.6m). A U-shaped structure (int. dims. 5.5m N–S; 2m E-W) open to the N in the W of the interior is defined by a low wall (Wth 0.9m; H. 0.3m) and may be the remains of a house (CL009-001055-). There is a cairn of loose stones (diam. c. 6m; H 0.5m) against the S arc of the cashel wall.

A gap (Wth 3m) in the NE of the cashel wall appears to be a modern entrance.

Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott

Date of upload: 12 October 2021

References

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.

Westropp, T.J. 1899 Prehistoric remains in the Burren, County Clare. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 29, 367-84.

Robinson, T. 1977 (reprint 1999) The Burren: a two-inch map of the uplands of North-West Clare. Map Scale 1:31680. Roundstone: Folding Landscapes.