Cahermoyle CL005-056----, Clare

On a NE-facing slope near the SW end of a rocky cliff and under scrub in an area of otherwise reclaimed pasture. Surrounding high ground means that views are restricted, but Galway Bay is visible to NW through a craggy gap and to the WSW the Rath of Ballyallaban (CL005-040----) and Aghaglinny valley are also visible. Hachured and named ‘Cahermoyle caves’ on the 1842 and 1916 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. According to Westropp (1901, 280) it is likely ‘the “Cahernagree” in Dangan, named more than once in documents of the seventeenth century’, such as the Book of Distribution (Simington and Mac Giolla Choille 1967, 478) which mention ‘Dominick Lynch [of] Kahirnegree’. A moderately well-preserved roughly circular cashel (int. diam. 25.6m) defined by a wall (Wth 2-2.5m; ext. H 0.6-2m; int. H 0.25-1.05m) constructed of undressed and uncoursed limestone slabs laid flat and with an entrance (Wth 0.9m) to the E. From NW to N there is a possible internal terrace (max. Wth 1.9m), which Westropp (1901, 280-81) recorded as ‘paved with thin slabs’. The S side of the entrance is lined by an upright stone (H 1.32m) and a displaced but similarly sized stone on the N side. In the early 20th century, when Westropp (1901, 280) recorded it, each side of the entrance was lined by three orthostats and it was capped by two massive lintels (L c. 2.5m). A Man-made underground passage (CL005-056002-) is located S of centre. The following image has been uploaded: CL005-056----_01.jpg Drawing of cashel entrance (Westropp 1901, 280) Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Ros Ó Maoldúin Date of upload: 8 June 2022