Enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated 35m SW of a similar enclosure (MA085-063----). The settlement area occupies the summit at south-western end of the ridge and also overlooks the peat basin to SE. A field wall runs by only 3m to S: part of a field system (MA085-037----). Two fulachtaí fia (MA085-007001-, MA085-007002-) in the basin are also clearly visible from the enclosure, to E and NE, respectively.

The site consists of a very poorly defined stone-free area, roughly oval in plan (NW–SE c. 20m, NE–SW 11.2m). The most noticeable feature on the site is a ruined turf stack that occupies the western part of the interior. The area is defined by a very faint and intermittent band of stone (Wth c. 2m, H 0.4m max.) from SE through S, W and N to NE. This is supplemented at S by traces of a slight scarp (H 0.5m). Its line is most poorly defined at NW, where stone has probably been robbed for the construction of the turf stack. A number of very large, earthfast boulders (H 0.5m) appear to define its line at E. Among them is an entrance-like feature comprising a partially stone-filled gap (Wth 1.5m) between two angular boulders. A line of stones (L 3m, H 0.4m) running NE–SW from the outer side of the eastern boulder may mark the edge of an approach path to the entrance. The interior, which is grassy and noticeably stone-free, slopes gently from NW to SE.

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: 29 November 2018

References

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