House

Situated within ‘Doonallia’ promontory fort (MA075-005001-), the most northerly of the cluster of three houses (MA075-005003-, MA075-005004-, MA075-005005-) located on the landward side at the higher, southern end of the platform. The site is only 1m NNE of the edge of MA075-005003- and slightly downslope from it. It comprises a substantial but poorly defined house of roughly subrectangular plan (NE–SW 5.5m, NW–SE 4.95m). In general terms, it is defined by a substantial grassy scarp or bank, covered with ferns in summer. There is a wide gap (Wth c. 2m) in the bank from NE to SE with a small tuft/hummock at its centre. From SE to SSE the bank also defines the adjoining house to E (MA075-005005), while from SSE through S to SW it takes the form of an inward scarp up to 1.8m high above the interior. From SW to NW it takes the form of a diminutive bank, before increasing in size from N to NE (H 0.65m internally) where it runs along the cliff edge for a short distance. The interior presents a dished appearance, save for a low enigmatic grassy ridge (L c. 2.4m × Wth 0.8m × H c. 0.2m) that follows an E–W axis across its northern half. The above description is derived from: New Survey of Clare Island. Volume 5: Archaeology. Edited by Paul Gosling, Conleth Manning and John Waddell. (Royal Irish Academy, Dublin. 2007). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Date of upload: 29 November 2018