Enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

In rocky pasture on a NW-facing slope of Knockadoon Peninsula, 25m E of and overlooking Lough Gur. The site was formerly on the lake edge prior to drainage in the 19th century. The semi-circular enclosure known as ‘Seeaghanmnatee’ was recorded by Professor M. J. O’Kelly (1944, 26). Knockadoon Peninsula has been the focus of many archaeological excavations that have revealed extensive Neolithic and Bronze Age settlement (Ó Ríordáin 1954 and Cleary 2018). Archaeological excavations by Ó Ríordáin at Site G (LI032-022005-) were located c. 50m to E. Archaeological excavations by Ó Ríordáin at Site F (LI032-022004-) were located c. 40m to SE. Archaeological excavations by Ó Ríordáin at Site 10 (LI032-022003-) were located c. 100m to S. Prehistoric settlement (LI032-016/017/019/021----) was also discovered on and around Garret Island c. 120m to NW. Many other archaeological sites are located on the peninsula, including Circle K (LI032-022028-) located 140m to ENE.
The enclosure site (LI032-022002-) is not depicted on 1840 ed. OSi 6-inch map, it is depicted on the 1897 ed. OSi 25-inch map as a small scarped oval-shaped mound (ext. dims. 15m) annotated ‘Seeaghanmnatee’. The site is visible as an earthwork on the OSi orthoimages taken 2005-12 and on the Digital Globe orthoimages taken 2011-2013 as a semi-circular curving enclosure open to the lake. The site was described by O’Kelly (1944, 26) as ‘Seaghanmnatee’, consisting of a ‘semi-circular arc composed of two concentric lines of stones with a rubble filling between. The diameter is about 27m. It is built around the edge of an amphitheatre-like hollow and does not seem to have been a complete circle at any time.’ O’Kelly notes that there are several other similar ‘arcs’ on the hill. The old lake shore edge is clear (orientated NE-SW) running through the site. The site is visible as an earthwork on the old lake shore on Google Earth orthoimages taken 05/04/2006; 25/03/2017 and 20/09/2020.

See attached Google Earth orthoimage

Compiled by: Edmond O’Donovan

Date of upload: 9 November 2020

References

Cleary, R. 2018 The archaeology of Lough Gur. Dublin. Wordwell.

O'Kelly, M.J. 1944 A survey of the antiquities in the barony of Small County, Co. Limerick. North Munster Antiquarian Journal 4, 16-53.

Ó Ríordáin, S.P. 1954 Lough Gur excavations: Neolithic and Bronze Age houses on Knockadoon. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 56C, 297-460.