Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

At the SW end of a NE–SW rocky ridge, within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-001001-). The ground drops away very steeply from E to NW. Hachured on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map and identified as the townland’s eponymous ‘Caheridoula’ by Westropp (1911, 364) and Macnamara (1912-13, 64). On the 1920 ed. of the OS 6-inch map this label was erroneously applied to another cashel (CL009-001015-) c. 220m to the SW (FitzPatrick 2008, 63).
A subcircular cashel (int. dims. 21.15m N–S; 20.5m E–W) defined by a wide stone wall (Wth 3–3.5m) which is built at the edge of a steep slope or cliff (max. H 2m at SW) from E to SW and at the top of a quarry face (max. H 2m) from SW to NW. The quarry most likely supplied the stone for the cashel and it also added to its defensive appearance in this area. The wall was built in two phases (see attached image). The initial circuit (Wth 1–2m) was typical of cashel walls in the Burren and consisted of two wall-faces and a rubble core. An additional internal skin of coursed masonry and rubble (Wth 1–2m) was subsequently added. A marked difference in height distinguishes the two phases of building. The inner part of the wall survives to a height of c. 0.2–0.4m above the interior, while the outer part is 0.8m-1.4m high. This method of construction with ‘hidden’ internal facings is suggestive of links with ‘Western Stone Forts’ elsewhere in the Burren (e.g. Ballykinvarga (CL009-059012-) and Cahercommaun (CL010-064003)) and on the Aran Islands (Cotter 2012). At SSW a section (Wth 4m) of the outer wall-face has collapsed. The entrance (Wth 1.15), at SSE, is lined by two large slabs on each side (H 0.47–1m; L 0.4–0.65m; T 0.2–0.5m), which rise over the level of the wall. A large stone (exposed L 1.25m) lying outside it is probably one of the two ‘fallen lintels’ noted by Westropp (1911, 364), who described the ‘gateway’ as being of the ‘normal type with coursed jambs’ (see attached image). FitzPatrick (2008, 63) suggests that the original doorway passage (L 4.3m) was square headed.
A house site (CL009-001053-) c. 58m to the SE lies within a small cluster of fields and ruined houses. Westropp (1911, 364-5) and FitzPatrick (2008, 64; 2009, 300) suggest that these may be associated with the cashel. FitzPatrick (2008, 64) also suggests that a garden/plot to the SW of the cashel may also be associated with it.

The following image has been attached: CL009-001017- v.10 image (Westropp 1911, 363).jpg

Compiled by: Conn Herriott and Olive Alcock

Date of upload: 13 October 2021

References

Westropp, T.J. 1911 Prehistoric remains (forts and dolments) in the Burren, Co. Clare (continued). Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 1, 343-67.

Fitzpatrick, E. 2008 Antiquarian scholarship and the archaeology of Cahermacnaghten, Burren, Co. Clare. The Other Clare 32, 58-66.

Macnamara, G.U. 1912-13 The O'Davorens of Cahermacnaghten, Burren, Co. Clare. North Munster Antiquarian Journal 2, 63-212.

Cotter, C. 2012 The western stone forts project. Excavations at Dún Aonghasa and Dún Eoghanachta. 2 vols. Dublin. Wordwell Ltd.

FitzPatrick, E. 2009 Native enclosed settlement and the problem of the Irish 'ring-fort'. Medieval Archaeology 53, 271–307.