Castle - ringwork

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a steep-sided spur of gravel on the County Clare bank of the River Shannon in a strategic location where Lough Derg narrows into the river c. 1.3km N of Killaloe town. Known as ‘Brian Boru’s Fort’ or ‘Beal Boru’, this monument has long been identified, though without certainty, as the seat of Brian Boru, High King of Ireland from AD 1002 until his death at the Battle of Clontarf in AD 1014. According to Gem (2006, 94-5, note 71) the site clearly formed part of the wider Kincora complex. Excavated in 1961 by M.J. O’Kelly, the site was found to have originally been a ringfort (CL045-031----) with an internal house (CL045-031002-). Coins found during the excavation allowed the internal house to be dated to the 11th century and a reference in the Annals of the Four Masters tells us that it was raided and demolished in AD 1116 (Harbison, 1992, 55). The site was later reused but was unfinished and uninhabited and the present high bank, deep fosse and raised centre with sunken interior may represent an attempt by the Normans to build a ringwork in the early 13th century. The remains consist of a circular area (overall diam. 70-75m; int. diam. c. 20m) defined by a high rounded bank (H 4-6m; Wth at base c. 17m) a deep fosse (Wth 10m; D 1-2m). There is a large entrance feature at N with a causeway across the fosse. Stone facing on the external face of the bank and the entrance feature may have been added between 1893 and 1911 (O’Kelly 2961, 4). The bank is thickly covered with beech trees and Scots pine. The trees were not disrupted during the excavations. Beal Boru is a National Monument in State Care. (O’Kelly 1962, 1-27; Harbison 1992, 55)

This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 24/1976).

Compiled by: Mary Tunney

Date of upload: 16 January 2018

References

O'Kelly, M.J. 1962 Beal Boru, Co. Clare. Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society 67, 1-27.

Harbison, P. 1975 (2nd. ed. 1992 reprint) Guide to the national monuments in the Republic of Ireland. Gill and Macmillan, Dublin.