Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

On a berm of outcropping rock that is heavily overgrown with hazel wood and briars; the land slopes steeply into a ravine (Wth c. 20m; D c. 5m) all around except at W where the ground is level for c. 20m before falling away. Indicated on the 1897 OS 25-inch plan and the 1920 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. Listed as ‘Enclosure’ in the RMP (1996). Described by Westropp (1913, 256) as ‘well-built’, this poorly preserved subcircular cashel (ext. dims. 23m E-W; 19m N-S) is now defined by a stone spread (1.5-2m; ext. H 0.4-1.8m), which is flush with the interior from S to W and rises 0.3m about it at W. No trace of it is visible at N. Outer wall-facing (ext. H 0.4-1.8m) survives from E to S to W and consists of horizontally laid stones (max. L 0.7m; Wth 0.5m; H. 0.2m). There is an entrance gap (Wth 1.45m) at ENE. A loose stone (L 0.6m; H 0.6m) visible in it was standing on edge. It appeared to have been worn smooth and had a shallow basin-like depression (diam. 0.18m; D 0.05m) on one surface, suggestive of a bullaun stone, but it was unclear whether the stone had been worked or was simply a natural solution hollow. A wedge tomb (CL009-112001-) lies c. 120m to the NE.

Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Conn Herriott

Date of upload: 13 June 2022

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.

Record of Monuments and Places as established under Section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, County Clare. Issued by National Monuments and Historic Properties Service 1996. Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands.