Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

On fairly level overgrown karst. Hachured and named ‘Caherahoagh Forts’ (also referring to an adjacent cashel (CL017-044001-) c. 25m to the SW) on the first edition (1842) of the OS 6-inch map. Also hachured but named ‘Caherbullaun Forts’ on the OS 25-inch plan (1897) and the Cassini edition (1920) of the OS 6-inch map but referred to as ‘Caherahoagh’ by Westropp (1896, 367). Named ‘Cathair an Bhulláin’ on Robinson’s map of the Burren (1977). This tree-covered but well-preserved circular cashel (int. dims. 29.3m E-W; 28m N-S; ext. dims. 34.6m E-W; 33.4m N-S) is defined by a stone wall (Wth 2.4-3.6m; ext. H 1.6-2.3m) with external batter and a terrace (max. Wth 1m; av. 0.6-0.8m under top of wall) on its inner wall-face, accessed at ENE via six recessed steps (Wth 0.8m; H 1.4m; max. D at top 0.6m). Westropp (1896, 367; 1913, 253-254) described this as a possibly late 15th-century ‘stone ladder’ comprising five very steep steps above tumble, and at the top another four steps leading left from the terrace to the top of the cashel wall. Westropp (1913, 254), subsequently noted, however, that the steps had been nearly destroyed between his visits and the upper flight of four steps was not visible when inspected in 1999. At ESE is a splaying fortified entrance (Wth 2.1m on the inside, narrowing to Wth 1.55m on the outside). On its S side, the wall batters inwards as it rises (max. H 1.8m-2.2m) and the opposite N side (max. H 1.7m) contains two draw-bar sockets placed one above the other. The entrance is constricted (Wth 1.35m; L 0.5m) at its centre. Westropp (ibid.) concluded that the entrance was rebuilt ‘with dressed stone and mortar’ in the 15th century. According to FitzPatrick (2009, 290), ‘Evidence for late-medieval alterations to cathair entrances assumes two forms in the Burren: the insertion of a gatehouse, as seen at Cahermacnaghten (CL009-001010-) and Cahermore (CL005-094002-) in the central Burren uplands; and the construction of a gateway with a cut-stone arch, punch-dressed jambs and door fixtures such as deep bar-holes, which can be seen at Caherahoagh in the south-eastern area of the Burren.’ (While the head of the doorway is missing at Caherahoagh, FitzPatrick (op. cit. 296) noted a single, cut-stone, punch-dressed arch-stone, similar to the pair from Cahermacnaghten, lying in the collapsed masonry outside the entrance.) Within the cashel’s tree-filled interior, to the S of the entrance, is a rectangular drystone wall structure (L 3m E-W; Wth 2.5m N-S; wall H 1m), and collapsed wall stones lie against the inner wall-face (Wth 1-2.8m; H 0.3-1.2m). FitzPatrick (op. cit. 297) also noted ‘remnants of a possible stone building in the northern half of the garth.’

See attached images:
• CL017-044002-_01 Snip of Westropp’s sketch details of the monument (Westropp 1913, 253, Fig. 9)
• CL017-044002-_02 Snip of Westropp’s sketch of steps in cashel wall (Westropp 1896, 366). Note ‘upper
steps’.

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott

Date of upload: 20 July 2023

References

Westropp, T.J. 1896 Prehistoric stone forts of northern Clare, parts I & II. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries 26, 142-58, 362-9.

Westropp, T.J. 1913 Prehistoric remains (forts and dolmens) in the Corofin district, Co. Clare (no. 11). Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries 43, 232-60.

FitzPatrick, E. 2009 Native enclosed settlement and the problem of the Irish 'ring-fort'. Medieval Archaeology 53, 271–307.

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.