Promontory fort - coastal

The National Monuments Service's description

On a W-facing, triangular-shaped headland on the Cliffs of Moher, now landscaped as part of the Burren Way walking route and a popular viewing point on the Cliffs. Listed as ‘Earthwork’ in the RMP (1996). Faint traces of a possible promontory fort defending the headland were identified by Markus Casey in 1998. Previously, Westropp (1900-1902, 427) in his list of ‘Caher Names’ made passing reference to, ‘A bridge near Moher Cliff fort …’ and Westropp (1901, 3) also indicated a ‘Fort’ just SSW of O’Brien’s Tower on his ‘General Map of the Neighbourhood of Lisdoonvarna.’ The construction of O’Brien’s Tower (NIAH reg. no. 20401408), a 19th-century folly and its associated earthen platform, as well as foot traffic and the laying of modern paths has altered the earlier topography of the headland. However, a bank is faintly visible running N-S in the field immediately to the E of O’Brien’s Tower and may be the remains of an earthen defensive feature (Casey 1999). Archaeological monitoring (licence no. 05E1387) of pathway construction works in the area around O’Brien’s Tower did not uncover any archaeological remains or artefacts (Hull 2006).

 

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

 

Date of upload: 29-10-2025

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 1901 Prehistoric remains in north-western Clare, part I. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 31, 1-17.

Casey, M. 1999 The coastal promontory forts of Ireland. A survey of counties Sligo, Mayo, Galway and Clare. Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.

Hull, G. 2006 Cliffs of Moher Visitor’s Centre, O’Brien’s Tower, Lislorkan North, Co. Clare. An Archaeological Monitoring Report for Clare County Council. 05E1387. Unpublished report, TVAS Ireland Ltd.