What is recorded here

Inishturk is a small west facing island off County Mayo where a promontory fort still stands on a rocky headland above the south coast. The landward edge may have carried a bank and fosse, leaving the sea to do most of the guarding work. Grass, stone and tide have worn the place thin, but the shape remains clear enough to read from above.

A promontory fort can be seen from the air lying along the south coast of Inishturk. The area is one of rough grazing and outcropping rock. A west facing headland measuring about 60m long by 40m wide shows faint traces of having been defended on its landward side by a bank and fosse. It was not visited on the ground. These descriptions are derived from the MA thesis of Markus Casey 1999 The coastal promontory forts of Ireland. A survey of counties Sligo, Mayo, Galway and Clare. Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway. Date of upload: 5 December 2018

A promontory fort on the south coast of Inishturk, likely dating to the early medieval period, utilises a natural headland reinforced with earthworks. Local tradition associates such coastal forts with ancient druidic or fairy activity, reflecting their mystical reputation in Irish folklore.

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