Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

On Duvillaun More Island, located on a central E-W spine of relatively level, elevated ground, just E of the centre of the island. There is a cluster of ruined 19th century vernacular stone houses, with associated field enclosures, 30m to N. Immediately to S of the cashel there is a marked fall of ground. This sheltered S-facing slope appears to encompass the most fertile land on the island and exhibit a pattern of relict cultivation ridges, undoubtedly contemporary with the 19th century settlement.
The cashel (32.6m E-W; 31.7m N-S), which appears to have been the focus of a monastic settlement, is defined E-S-N by low, sod-covered remains of a stone wall (Wth c. 1.6m; int. H 0.4m; ext. H 0.6m). The NE arc of the wall cannot be fully traced, and the NE quadrant is partly overlain by a later field walls enclosing cultivation ridges, undoubtedly related to the 19th century settlement.
In the SE quadrant of the interior, there is a ruined church (MA003A003004-), the N wall of which is incorporated into a later field wall that extends E−W through the NE quadrant of the cashel interior. Immediately to S of the church, there is a cross slab (MA033A003001-) and a possible slab-lined burial (MA033A003003-).
An internal division in the form of a low, partly sod-covered, ruined stone wall (Wth 0.8m; H 0.4m) marks off the SE quadrant, skirting the W and N side of the possible church. This internal wall appears be contemporary with other field walls abutting the cashel at NE, E and W, which are most likely related to the 19th century settlement. Bedrock protrudes from the ground surface in parts in the SW and S of the interior.
The cashel is marked on the 1921 OS 6-inch map as 'Killeen', and according to the OS Letters (1838) was used as a children's burial ground (MA003A003008-).
A holy well (MA003A003007-) is located c. 20m SW, and four possible clochans (MA033A003005-; MA033A003006-; MA033A003009-; MA033A003010-) and a structure (MA033A003011-) are located on a roughly N-S line on the S-facing slope to S of the cashel.

Attached image:
MA033A003001-_01.JPG Low remnants of the cashel wall can be seen, with the cross-slab (MA033A003002-) standing in the E half of the interior. Viewed from SE.

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 27 February 2018