What is recorded here

Doonmore castle still stands beside a triangular headland where three shell middens mark repeated human meals. The largest stretch is only 1.77m long yet holds dog whelks and limpets compacted beneath the soil. Storms have helped expose them, as if the sea keeps returning what people once discarded.

On the W side of Doonbeg Bay on the N side of a triangular headland and c. 13.6m W of Doonmore castle (CL046-019002-). A shell midden (L 1.77m; max. T 0.09m; D below surface 0.56m) comprising a compacted mixed layer of dog whelks and some limpet shells. Two other shell middens (CL046-040---- and CL046-041----) lie 7m and 13m to the W respectively. Banks in the adjacent field were noted as a possibly promontory fort (Casey 1999). Middens were noted at this location in 2008 in advance of proposed development at Doonbeg pier and the banks were interpreted as a possible bawn relating to the castle (Coyne, Darmody and O’Mahony 2008, 25-7). Further reports on the middens were furnished in 2014-15 (pers. comm. John Tracey) when it was thought they were exposed due to severe storms. Compiled by: Mary Tunney Date of upload: 26 May 2015

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