Promontory fort - coastal

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated in an area of gently undulating poor quality pasture with a good view along the coast. Flanked by a deep chasm to the E and by a sheer cliff and sea rocks below to the W the site is overlooked by higher ground to the S. A bivallate promontory fort with a triangular N-facing interior 44m long by 16m wide was enclosed by an inner earthen bank 2.5m wide and 0.5m high. The outer bank stands 3.1m wide and 1m high. The intervening flat-based ditch varies in width from 3m at the western end to 10m at the eastern. The outermost ditch is round bottomed and 1.5m wide and lies 0.2m below ground level. The defences are uniform in height and no facing is visible in the banks. A 1.3m wide causeway runs through the enclosing elements at a point 2.55m from the eastern edge. The interior is level and featureless except for a low earthen bank running diagonally across the garth.

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 Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.

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 Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.