What is recorded here

Derreen West holds an unusual density of cashels because the Burren terrace suits defensive thinking. The main oval measures twenty-five metres north-south and eighteen and a half metres east-west, with its inner wall still standing one and a half metres high in the northern half. A cattle gap at the southeast may mark the original entrance, while other ringforts scatter within two hundred metres. Together they form a neighbourhood of enclosed places rather than a single isolated monument.

On a flat rocky terrace with commanding views from NW–E and overlooked by higher ground to the S. Hachured on the 1842 and 1915 eds. of the OS 6-inch maps. Listed as ‘Enclosure’ in the SMR (1992) and the RMP (1996). An oval cashel (25m N–S; 18.5m E–W) defined by a stone wall (orig. T 1.6m). The inner facing survives best in the N half (H 1.6m). The outer facing survives best to the W (H 0.5m). A cattle gap to the SE may also be the site of the original entrance. Other cashels lie c. 180m WSW (CL004-003----), c. 120m WNW (CL004-007----) and c. 130m SW (CL004-103---- and CL004-104----). The field walls running between these form part of a system (CL004-098---- ) likely contemporary and potentially partially predating these cashels. There is an unusual density of ringforts in this part of the Burren. In 1897, Borlase (1897, 65) counted twenty between Derreen West and East and thirty-three on the slope on which they occur (including the NW-facing slope of Knockauns Mountain). Westropp (1901, 10–11) reported several of these to be largely levelled and rebuilt as sheep folds but still believed them to be of ancient origin. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Ros Ó Maolduin Date of upload: 17 February 2021

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.