Promontory fort - coastal

The National Monuments Service's description

A small triangular promontory fort lies in a lowlying area of coarse grassland and sand dunes. The sea is accessible from the site and the site is flanked by a sandy cove to the S and sea rocks to the N. The headland faces W and a freshwater stream runs down to the shore nearby. Its proximity to the sea probably hastened its erosion. Unmarked on any OS map. The headland measures 45m across the neck and is 36m long. The defences consist of an earthen bank curving towards the land. It has been reduced to a scarp rising 1.5m above the outer ground level to the S and diminishing to 1m high at N. There is no trace of a ditch and although the scarp is very low towards the centre, no clear trace of an entrance feature remains. At a point 5m from the northern edge lies a penannular hut site 2.2m in diameter (MA016-007002-). Near the centre of the garth lies a second hut, circular and measuring 6m in diameter (MA016-007003-). Its walls have been reduced to a grassed over mound of earth and stone. The gently undulating interior is strewn with rocks thrown up from the shore.

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 Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.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 Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.