Mound

The National Monuments Service's description

Doonainy Cairn on Knockainy Hill described by O'Kelly (1944, 21) as following; 'This occupies the highest point of the E. shoulder of Knockainy hill. The N.E. quadrant of the mound has been badly damaged by efforts to dig it away or to find treasure. It measures 70' [21m] N-S and 45' [13m] E-W and seems to have been built of earth and stones. The height is about 7' [2.1m]. Westropp gives its diameter as between 48' [14.6m] and 55' [16.7m] and its height as 11' [3.3m]. It is difficult to decide exactly where the edge of the mound lies, and by taking the edge sufficiently far out one could find a height of 11' [3.3m]. Westropp also mentions a faintly marked enclosure and a fainter circular hollow adjoining the tumulus. The enclosure seems to be part of an ancient field, and the hollow seems to be a natural depression on the hill. The same author suggests that this is the cairn of Áine, but there would not appear to be much evidence for this identification. It is called Dunainy on the O.S. map'. An OS trig. station marking the spot height of 537ft. [163m] is marked at this location on the 1840 ed. OS 6-inch map.
The cairn was described in 2004 as following; 'On the eastern summit of the hill at a height of 162m, this grass-covered cairn attains a maximum height of 2.5m, measuring 12m east-west by 20m north-south. The body of the cairn has been damaged by quarrying. A possible second
cairn may be the result of localised quarrying. Nearby are the remnants of low field walls' (Condit and Coyne 2004).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 07 August 2019

See attached ASI aerial photograph ASIAP - 304/26 taken on 13/09/2002; 348/2 and 348/13 taken on 05/01/2003.

References

Condit, T. and Coyne, F. 2004 Knockainy Hill - a ceremonial landscape in County Limerick. Archaeology Ireland. Heritage Guide No. 27.

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.

ASIAP - Archaeological Survey of Ireland Aerial Photographs (c. 1996 - c. 2010).