Town defences

The National Monuments Service's description

The 14th century Caithréim Thoirdhealbhaigh refers to the borough of Bunratty being defended by ‘broad-based high-crested ramparts, running from the stream to the sea’ (Bradley 1988, 22). Monitoring of foundation trenches for an extension to the Shannon Shamrock Hotel in 1991 (O’Rahilly 1992) showed evidence for a ditch (Wth 8.5m) extending E-W, filled and recut with finds dating it to the 13th/14th century. Test trenching (Wiggins 2000) in advance of a development of houses in the area revealed a substantial ditch (Wth greater than 8m, aligned E-W), likely part of the same ditch found by Celie O’Rahilly in 1991. Given its dimensions, the ditch must be considered part of the defences of the medieval borough of Bunratty (Wiggins 2000, 7-8). Some outer earthworks around Bunratty, planned by Westropp (1917, opp. p. 14) and traditionally interpreted as fortified ramparts for either 10th-century Viking or 13th-century Anglo-Norman settlements, have been shown to be 17th century in date (Bradley and King 1991). Historical and cartographic sources indicate that reclamation banks were in place by the mid-seventeenth century, built to protect the low-lying lands around Bunratty from high spring tide flooding (O’Sullivan (2001, 52).

Compiled by: Mary Tunney

Date of upload: 2 October 2019

References

O'Sullivan, A. 2001 Foragers, farmers and fishers in a coastal landscape. Discovery Programme Monograph No. 5

Bradley, J., Halpin, A. and King, H.A. 1988 Urban archaeological survey - county Clare. Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.

Bradley, J. 1988 The medieval borough of Bunratty. North Munster Antiquarian Journal 30, 19-25.

Wiggins, K. 2000 Development at Bunratty West, Co. Clare: archaeological impact assessment with test excavation 00E0288. Unpublished report, National Monuments Service, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin.

O'Rahilly, C. 1992 Bunratty East. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 1991: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 6. Bray. Wordwell.

Westropp, T.J. 1913-15 The earthworks and castle of Bunratty, Co. Clare. North Munster Antiquarian Journal 3, 314-27.

Bradley, J. and King, H. 1991 Archeaological trial excavations at Bunratty, Co. Clare. North Munster Antiquarian Journal 33, 16-21.

Westropp, T. J. 1917 Notes on the primitive remains (forts and dolmens) in central County Clare. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 47, 1-20.