Gleninsheen Caher

On the high W-facing slopes of a karst hill under rough pasture, with good views from SSW to N, within a multiperiod field system (CL005-104001-). Hachured and named ‘Gleninsheen Caher’ on the 1842 and 1916 eds of the OS 6-inch maps. A rectangular cashel (int. dims. 40m N-S; 36m E-W) defined by a largely collapsed, robbed out and rebuilt wall (H 1.1-1.2m; Wth 1m) with a faced entrance (Wth 1.8m; H of facing 1m) near the E end of the N wall. Patches of original outer facing are present at N (H 1.1m) and at the S end of the E wall (H 1.2m). The remains of a possible house (CL005-100006-) lie E of centre and a hut site (CL005-100002-) lies inside the W wall. Two other hut sites with modern walls built on remnants of older structures (CL005-100003- and CL005-100004-) are in the NW corner and another (CL005-100005-) occupies the SE corner. A hut site located 6m north of the entrance is likely modern. The following image has been uploaded: CL005-100----_01.jpg View of cashel entrance from N Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Ros Ó Maoldúin Date of upload: 13 February 2023

Gleninsheen Caher is a ringfort situated on a karst hillside, likely dating to the early medieval period. It is associated with local folklore referring to it as a fairy fort, a common belief in Irish tradition that such sites were inhabited by supernatural beings.