Promontory fort - coastal

The National Monuments Service's description

Possible promontory fort described in 2003 as follows; ‘An enormous mountainous 500' high southwest-facing headland extending 400m into the Atlantic shows evidence of having been defended by a slightly curving bank and fosse. The major part of the headland slopes too steeply to be accessible by a triangular area measuring 100m north-south and 220m long close to the isthmus shows sighs of having been cut off from the mainland by a wide earth and stone bank and inner fosse. The enclosing elements run beneath later field banks and a stone wall, possibly associated with the 19th century telegraph tower and enclosures. Besides the modern avenue to the tower, there is no sign of an entrance feature. Several earthworks close to the SW tip of the headland suggest either internal subdivisions or more likely cultivation ridges. The extreme SW end of the promontory is accessible but no surface features are visible. The sea is inaccessible’ (Casey 2003, 19, no. A)

References

Casey, M. 2003 The coastal promontory forts of Ireland: interim report for the Heritage Council. Unpublished specialist report, National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.