Promontory fort - coastal

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated near the southern tip of the Mullet peninsula in an area of fertile pasture. It is overlooked by higher ground to the N and E. Low cliffs lie to the N and W of the W-facing headland, and a gully lies along the southern edge. Sea rocks lie exposed above the water 200m to the W and a freshwater stream runs along the southern part of the site. A broad headland measuring 190m wide by 85m long shows traces of having been enclosed by a large curving earthen bank. This bank is 2m high and 10m wide and runs for a distance of 100m from the northern edge. It is reduced to a scarp for the next 60m and then becomes a low 1m high, 1m wide stone wall. A 4m wide fosse outside this bank has disturbed by cultivation ridges and a modern field bank.

The interior of the site undulates and contains a faint platform (MA024-013003-) rising above the ground level, a small possibly artificial knoll and one circular hut site 8m in diameter (MA024-013004-, MA024-013002-). A wire fence runs around the perimeter and a short length of earthen bank suggests the interior was divided up at one time. An area marked as 'Doon, (site of)' on the second edition of the OS map lies to the south of the gully south of the site, but only vague undulations in the ground level suggest that there may have been anything there.

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 Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.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 Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.