Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

On a hillock in undulating pasture, with land sloping steeping on all sides except to the NE, and within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-059001-). Hachured on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. This subcircular cashel (int. dims. 38.6m NE-SW; 37.3m NW-SE) is defined by a double-faced stone wall (Wth 2.2m; int. H 0.45m; ext. H 1.2m) which survives most clearly at NE, with associated grass-covered stone spill. Elsewhere only the lower courses of the outer wall-face survive, retaining the raised interior. Plinth stones, projecting up to 0.4m, are visible at the base of the outer wall-face. In one account Westropp (1900-02, 429) recorded the cashel entrance as at E, and in another (1900, 398) at S, with steps leading down from it. An earthfast block at SW appears to be part of the inner wall-face. A later drystone wall is built on the outer wall-face. Outside the cashel at SE the original ground level has been lowered by 0.4m, exposing grey marl under the plinth stones. A souterrain (CL009-097002-) lies in the centre of the interior and the remains of a house (CL009-097003-) are visible in the NNW sector. An ESB pole has been erected c. 4m to the SE of the souterrain. An enclosure (CL009-059002-) lies c. 170m to the ENE.

The following images have been uploaded:
CL009-097----_01.jpg View from NNW
CL009-097----_02.jpg View from W

Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Conn Herriott

Date of upload: 25 May 2022

References

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. 1900 Excursions of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Summer meeting, 1900. Description of the places visited. Section III. Third excursion; Section IV. Fourth Excursion. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 10, 392-419; 420-26.