Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on an artifiicial island or crannóg (TN019-034003-) constructed from loosely piled stone just off the E shore of Lough Derg. A heavily overgrown cashel consisting of a circular area (diam. c. 22m) defined by a poorly preserved drystone wall (H 3m; wall T 1.8m) best preserved from N to E where it has been refortified by the construction of a bawn wall on top of the earlier cashel wall. This bawn (TN019-034002-) is contemporary with Derry Castle (TN019-034001-), a fifteenth/sixteenth-century tower house built on top of the E section of the cashel wall. The rest of the site is covered in ivy and dense overgrowth making examination impossible. This is probably the cashel described in the Civil Survey as Cahirconner (Simington 1934, vol. 2, 160) which is a reference to the cashel constructed by Conchobhar Ua Briain, King of Thomond, in the early twelfth century (Westropp 1911-12, 211). According to Westropp (ibid.) there were no visible remains of any stone fort on the island. A stone causeway (Wth 1m) oriented E-W connects the E end of the cashel with the shoreline.

This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 4/2001).

The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 21 February 2020

References

Westropp, T.J. 1911-12 Types of the ringforts in eastern Clare (Killaloe, it's Royal fort and their history). Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 29, 186-212.