Earthwork

The National Monuments Service's description

On W bank of the River Suck in the centre of Ballinasloe town, the site lies close to an ancient ford and bridging point (GA088-047----). There is a strong local tradition (Egan 1960, 161) that the present RC church (GA088-028001-), built 1852-7 to replace an earlier chapel (GA088-028002-), occupies the site of 'Dún Leodha'. According to the Annals, the latter was built in 1124 by Toirdhealbhach O'Connor, King of Connacht (quoted in Hardiman 1846, 31). Writing in 1837, O'Donovan states that 'parts of its ramparts may still be traced … within and without the enclosure … [of] the R.C. Chapel' (quoted in Egan 1960, 161). Working from oral sources, O'Donovan also relates that, prior to the construction of the chapel, c. 1807, it 'presented the appearance of a truncated cone' and that 'many oak coffins were found' when levelling it (Alcock et. al. 1999, 256).

Revised by: Olive Alcock

Date of revised upload: 9 July 2021

References

Alcock, O., de Hora, K. and Gosling, P. 1999 Archaeological Inventory of County Galway. Vol. II. North Galway. Dublin. Stationery Office.

Hardiman, J. (ed) 1846 A chorographical description of West or H-Iar Connaught written in A.D. 1684 by Roderic O'Flaherty, Esq. Dublin.

Egan, P.K. 1960 The parish of Ballinasloe, its history from the earliest times to the present day. Dublin. Clonmore and Reynolds.