Hillfort

The National Monuments Service's description

Hillfort (approx. diam. 120m/1.6ha) known locally as 'The Citadel' situated on the summit of Carrighenry (1049 ft. OD), a hill forming part of the Darragh Hills in the Ballyhoura Mountains. The hilltop is enclosed by a rampart which follows, accurately, the 1000 ft. contour of the hill. The ramparts are formed on the west side by a natural escarpment of exposed conglomerate sandstone, which forms a precipitous cliff-like promontory. This cliff is in excess of 6-7 metres in height, the remainder of the hill is enclosed by a double line of dump constructed stone bank material about 2m in height and around 5m in width. Growth on these as with the whole site was low close-set gorse marking it impenetrable. A clear gap is visible in the outermost ring, on the SE side. This gap is about 3m wide and revetted on the east by a single upright slab of stone over 2m in height. Both lines of rampart are continuous and unbroken until they meet the cliff edge. The area enclosed is quite featureless except for a curve, noted on aerial photograph. A folly annotated on the OS 6-inch map 'Castle Gale (in Ruins)' stands in the centre of the enclosure (pers. comm. Red Tobin 26/07/1985). The double rampart feature is clearly visible today on Digital Globe aerial photographs. The combination of a double rampart cutting off a headland defined on all other sides by a natural cliff-edge may suggest inland promontory fort classification rather than a possible hillfort.
The hillfort was recently described in the Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland as following; 'In commanding position at the summit of Carrig Henry, positioned on a natural triangular promontory in the Ballyhoura Hills. The site affords extensive views of the Limerick plains to the N and the Blackwater valley to the S. Two closely spaced earth and stone banks cut off the S, most accessible approach. The hillfort has a total site foot print of 1.6ha. A single entrance, consisting of corresponding breaks in the inner and outer enclosing elements is located at the midway along the banks on the S. A possible earthen bank to the N, beyond the cliff face, has been identified by Doody (2008, 540). This has a possible original entrance at its centre. A stone cairn at the highest point within the hillfort is said to be the remains of a Post-Medieval tower (Doody 2008, 541). No other evidence for internal features on the surface. Interior under scrub and bracken growth and commercial forestry plantation surrounds the hillfort at the N, E and W. Topographical survey by Doody (2008, 540-1). Hillfort not identified in any historic mapping.' (http://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk/records/IR0681.html)

See attached Google Earth aerial photographs taken 14/09/2019 and 26/04/2015

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 30 January 2019

References

Doody, M 2008 The Ballyhoura Hills Project, Discovery Programme Monograph No. 7. Wordwell. Bray.

Lock, G. and Ralston, I. 2017 Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland.(Online website at https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk)