Promontory fort - coastal

The National Monuments Service's description

In wet pasture on a roughly triangular-shaped promontory (c. 90m E-W; max. 65m N-S) on the landward side of Hag’s Head with sea cliffs and very steep slopes at S, W and N. Labelled ‘Site of Moher Fort’ on both the first (1842) and Cassini (1920) editions of the OS 6-inch map. Partly hachured and labelled ‘Moher Fort (Site of)’ on the OS 25-inch plan (1897). The fort’s name is variously recorded as Mothar Ui Ruis / Mothar Ui Ruain / Mohar-Ui-Ruaidhin / Cahermore in different sources (Comber 1997, 95; Westropp 1905, 359; Cunningham 1980, 71; Jordan 1991, 49). This coastal promontory fort is defined on the seaward side (from S-W-N- ENE) by cliffs with the promontory cut off on the landward side (from ENE-E-S), by a series of three, denuded curvilinear banks with two intervening fosses. These defences have been bisected by a modern stone wall, and are best preserved near the Nedge of the promontory. The innermost bank (Wth 3.5m; H 0.25m) has been reduced to a scarp along the north, is disturbed by a modern wall along the south and is very faintelsewhere. The fosseoutside it is well-defined, steep-sided and flat bottomed (Wth 6m; D 0.55m). The middle bank is also well-defined (H 1.1m; Wth 3.5m) and round-topped. The fosse outside it is shallow (D 0.15m), and flat bottomed (Wth 4.2m). The third, outer bank is only visible intermittently, having been reduced to a scarp near the

middle, and there is a well-defined berm (H 1.1m) immediately outside it (combined bank and berm Wth 9m). All the defences have been disturbed by quarrying activities at the N cliff edge, and by a stone wall and a path running through the centre, and there is no trace of an original entrance. 

 

According to Westropp (1905, 359) part of a stone wall surrounding the promontory fort was still standing in 1780, however, much of the promontory fort was levelled and used as material for a signal tower (CL014-010002-) built by the British on the promontory during the Napoleonic Wars. Subsequently, a small World War II lookout post was built beside the signal tower. The Cliffs of Moher, extending N from this promontory, are named after the fort.

 

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott 

 

Date of upload: 3-10-2025

References

Jordan, J. 1991 Around Hag’s Head. The Other Clare 15, 49-50
Westropp, T. J. 1905 Prehistoric remains (Forts and Dolmens) along the borders of Burren, in the county of Clare. Part 2 - west Corcomroe. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. 35, 342-61. Cunningham, G. 1980 Burren journey West. Shannonside Mid-Western Regional Tourism Organisation. Comber, M. (ed.) 1997 The antiquities of County Clare: John O’Donovan and Eugene Curry: Ordnance Survey Letters 1839. Clasp Press. Ennis.