Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Promontory fort - coastal
Béal Deirg Mór, County Mayo, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Béal Deirg Mór
- County
- Mayo
- Country
- Ireland
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 54.30950, -9.51968
- SMR number
- MA006-008----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1753 "Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Situated on a long ridge-backed promontory jutting out from the deeply indented coastline of N Mayo in an area of hilly bogland. The headland is flanked by steep cliffs and is overlooked by higher ground to the S. There is a good view along the coast and a freshwater stream runs through a nearby gully. A wide shallow curving fosse runs across the neck of the promontory. Its width varies between 4m and 6m and it averages 0.7m in depth. There is no entrance causeway and no trace of any bank. The interior measures 41m across and 104m long. Besides a path running through it, it is quite featureless. One of three promontory forts (MA006-009---, MA006-010---) along N-facing stretch of coastline. The site had not been previously recorded.
These descriptions are derived from the MA thesis of Markus Casey 1999 The coastal promontory forts of Ireland. A survey of counties Sligo, Mayo, Galway and Clare. Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway. In this instance the entry has been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload: 5 December 2018
References
Casey, M. 1999 The coastal promontory forts of Ireland. A survey of counties Sligo, Mayo, Galway and Clare. Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.
Nearby in the register
- Promontory fort - coastalunder 1 mi
- Promontory fort - coastalunder 1 mi
- Promontory fort - coastalunder 1 mi
- Hut siteunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.