What is recorded here

Magic fort in Aughavinna, County Clare. The fort has three rings of earth and water cuts. The middle and outer rings are broken in places. The main ring touches another fort at the bottom. Cattle have cut holes through the earth. The top is flat and wide enough for a small house or a meeting place. The land around is open pasture. The fort is old enough to have been built before maps existed. People may have lived inside or gathered there for trade and argument. The shape is still clear enough to walk around and measure.

In hilly pastureland with wide views to the N and S but overlooked by higher ground to the NE, E and SW. Conjoined with a rath (CL008-075001-) to the S. Hachured on the 1897 OS 25-inch plan and the 1920 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. Listed as 'Enclosure' in the RMP (1996). This subcircular rath (c. 56.5m N-S; c. 45m E-W) comprises a level interior space (36.5m E-W; 35.5m N-S) defined by a bank (Wth at base 5.3m, narrowing to 1.9m at top; int. H 0.2m; ext. H 0.75-1.55m) and an external fosse (max. Wth 4.2m at top, narrowing to max. 1.9m at base), to the N of which are remains of two further banks (middle bank: Wth 3.6m; int. H 1.4m; ext. H c. 0.15m; outer bank: Wth 1.9m; H 0.15m) with an intervening fosse (Wth 2m). There is a wide and poorly defined gap in the inner bank at the E-ESE, which may have been an entrance. At the S the inner bank conjoins with the outer bank of the abutting rath (CL008-075001-). Several modern cattle gaps run through the bank at WSW-NNW, and one at the NNE. The fosse outside this bank is traceable at NNW-SSE. At NW-NE it is steep-sided and flat-based, but its depth diminishes towards the SSE, while at SW-NNW it exists only as a berm. The middle and outer banks survive only at NNW-NE. It is possible that the outer bank was part of a later field boundary. An E-W running field bank crosses the S part of the interior, as well as the enclosing elements. The following image has been uploaded: CL008-075002-_01.jpg Aerial view from SE (ASI photo) Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 29 November 2022

A fairy fort or earthen ringfort in Aughavinna is a circular earthen enclosure typical of early-medieval Ireland, likely dating to between the 5th and 10th centuries. It is associated with local folklore regarding fairy activity, as suggested by its traditional name, and may have been considered a liminal or sacred site in both pagan and early Christian times.

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