Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

On a gentle SW-facing slope in rough pasture, within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-
059001-). Hachured and named ‘Caherkiltaan’ on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map.
Named ‘Cathair Choillteáin’ on Robinson’s map (1977). This subrectangular cashel (int. dims. 25m E-
W; 24m N-S; ext. dims. 42m N-S; 38.5m E-W) is defined by a flat-topped stony bank (Wth 8-9.5m;
Wth at W 5m; H 0.8-1m; ext. H at S 1.4-2m). There is no evidence of the ‘large, good masonry’
recorded by Westropp (1900-1902, 426). Later drystone field boundaries (Wth 0.5m; H 1.2-1.7m) are
built over the cashel perimeter at E and S.

In the cashel interior there are several straight and curving grass-covered mounds (L c. 5-15m; H 0.6-
1.1m; Wth c. 2-5m) of earth and occasional large stones, surrounding slightly sunken areas (L 8-15m;
Wth 7-8m). It is unclear whether these features are the result of quarrying, or how they might relate
to the ‘cross wall and some prostrate pillar stones’ noted by Westropp (1897, 117). Bowmer (2019,
82-3) recorded a possible house/hut site at this cashel.

Two enclosures (CL009-239---- and CL009-254----) lie c. 185m to the SSW.

Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott

Date of upload: 8 February 2022

References

Bowmer, T. 2019 Rectilinear drystone cashel and enclosure settlements in the Burren, Co. Clare. The Journal of Irish Archaeology 28, 59–84.

Westropp, T.J. 1900-02 The cahers of county Clare: their names, features, and bibliography. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy Series 3, vol. 6, 415-49.

Westropp, T.J. 1897 Prehistoric stone forts of northern Clare, part III. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries 27, 116-27.

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.