Promontory fort - coastal

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a small grassy headland along the very indented shoreline of the Mullet. The surrounding land is poor, coarse flat grazing and bog. Steep cliffs flank the headland and the view from the site is excellent. An oval shaped island (MA009-002001-) accessible only at low water lies immediately offshore and may have formed part of this or a separate site. The site consists of a small wedge shaped headland defended by a single convex earthen bank and an external ditch running across the isthmus. The promontory faces the northwest and measures 28m in length and 18m across at its widest point. The bank has been reduced to a 3.3m wide grassy mound only 0.7m high with three long upright slabs along its outer face near the northeastern edge suggesting that it was once revetted. A similar upright runs at right angles to the stone-facing and may have flanked the entrance into the site. The inner face of the bank is unclear. The external ditch is best preserved at either end, being 1m deep and 6m wide. Besides a slight rise near the middle there is no trace of a causeway crossing it. The interior is flat and slopes gently down to the west. At the extreme point of the interior is a small knoll cut off from the rest of the site by a 4m wide ditch only 2m long. The interior is otherwise featureless. Another Promontory Fort (MA009-002001) is located 37m NNW and a megalithic tomb is located c. 22m to the SE.

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 Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.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 Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.