Clochan

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated in the north-eastern quadrant of an enclosure (MA085-012001-). It stands 1.5m N of an altar (MA085-012003-). Described variously by Westropp (1911a, 12, 17, pl. III) as a ‘cell’, a ‘hut’, and a ‘clochán’ and named by him (1911a, 27) as ‘the Labbabreed (Leaba Brighdhe), or St. Bridget’s Bed’. It comprises a small drystone structure, roughly rectangular in plan (NE–SW 2.1m, NW– SE 1.65m externally), with a corbelled stone roof and an entrance on the south-eastern side. The walls are crudely built of angular limestone blocks of varying sizes, gapped in many places. From the roughly rectangular basal course (Wth 0.7m max.), the corbelled sidewalls assume a circular form as they rise towards the roof. The latter con- sists of three flat slabs. The entrance (Wth 0.4m) is crudely defined, having no formal lintel or jambs. The interior is roughly oval in plan (NW–SE 1m, NE–SW 0.8m, H 0.85m max.). It is slightly sunken but dry and is littered with small rounded stones. Westropp (1911, 27) considered this structure ‘as evidently rebuilt, but not so recently as the cashel’ (MA085-012001-) and speculated as to ‘how far the foundation ... is old’ (1911, 12). He also records details of a cure effected in the ‘labba’ (1911, 26). No definite surface trace was noted of the ‘lines of set blocks, probably the original foundations, 3 feet south of the present face [of the cell]’ noted and illustrated by him (1911, 27, pl. III). See also Cullen and Gill (1992d, 7–9).

The above description is derived from: New Survey of Clare Island. Volume 5: Archaeology. Edited by Paul Gosling, Conleth Manning and John Waddell. (Royal Irish Academy, Dublin. 2007). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated.

Date of upload: 4 December 2018

References

Westropp, T.J. 1911 Clare Island survey: history and archaeology. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 31, Section 1, Part 2, 1-78.

Cullen, C. and Gill, P. 1992 Holy wells and Christian settlement on Clare Island, Co. Mayo. Clare Island Series 4. Clare Island. Centre for Island Studies.

Gosling, P., Manning, C. and Waddell, J. (eds.) 2007 New Survey of Clare Island, Volume 5: Archaeology. Dublin, Royal Irish Academy.