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Fairy fort / stone ringfort in An Mám Thiar

Fairy fort / stone ringfort

What is recorded here

An Mám Thiar holds a subcircular cashel thirty-eight metres wide, its low stone wall and earthen bank enclosing a forgotten life above the Bealnabrack and Failmore rivers. The terrace faces northeast through south to northwest, exposing whoever stood inside to the wide water of Lough Corrib and the changing weather of the Maam valley. A cairn remains at the western edge while loose stone scattered across the ground hints that a building fell or children were buried there. The fort is small enough to walk quickly yet large enough to keep a household, a herd or a memory away from the road.
In an area of rough grazing, on a terrace at the SE end of the Maam valley with spectacular views from NE through S to NW, and overlooking the Bealnabrack and Failmore rivers to the S and Lough Corrib to the SE. This subcircular cashel (38m E-W; 34m N-S) is defined by a low wall (Wth 2m; H 0.35m) which is clearly visible for most of its circuit from N through E and S to W. From W to N the enclosing element consists of an earthen bank. A roughly N-S field wall runs immediately to the W of the monument and another field wall running WSW-ENE lies to its N. Within the interior at W are the remains of a cairn. The area around it is filled with loose stone suggesting the possible presence of a collapsed building or a children’s burial ground. The cashel was brought to the attention of the Archaeological Survey of Ireland by Mr Michael Gibbons, Archaeologist, Clifden. Compiled by: Olive Alcock based on information supplied by Mr Michael Gibbons Date of upload: 5 March 2018

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.

What survives
Recorded monument

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