Knockaun Fort

On an elevated plateau of winter pasture, with slightly higher ground from N to NE, within a large field system (CL010-064001-). Named ‘Knockan Fort’ on the 1842 ed. of the OS 6-inch map and depicted as a hachured subcircular enclosure which almost completely occupies a small rectangular field. It is similarly named on the 1915 ed. but only the rectangular field is shown. A house (CL010-064015-) and Man-made underground passage (CL010-064100-) are shown within the E half of its interior. Named ‘Cnocán fort’ on Robinson’s map (1977). Listed as ‘Rectangular enclosure’ in the RMP (1996). Described by Westropp (1896, 363) as an ‘angular enclosure’ defined by ‘a poorly built, slight wall’. A rectangular cashel (int. dims. 49m NNW-SSE; 47m NE-SW), with rounded corners, roughly built of double-faced walls of irregularly sized stones, some of which form vertical facing. The S wall (H 1.2–1.35m; H 1.35m; T 1m) is best preserved and has original outer wall-facing near the corner with the W wall. However, some of its internal wall-face is of dubious antiquity. The W wall (H 1.2m) is more dilapidated and, likewise, its internal wall-face may not all be original but where the original thickness is discernible it is similar in width to the S wall. The N and E walls are poorly defined and consist of stone spreads (Wth 2m; H 0.6–0.8m) with no clear inner or outer wall-facing. A second possible Man-made underground passage (CL010-064080-) is located towards the centre of its interior and the foundations of a hut site (CL010-064101-) were noted in the NE corner. There is a wedge tomb (CL010-064013-) c. 30m to the WSW. (Westropp 1905, 221-2; Bowmer 2019; Comber 2019) Compiled by: Mary Tunney, Olive Alcock and Ros Ó Maoldúin Date of upload: 27 September 2021