Fortification in Drombeg

Marked on the 1841-42 and 1939 OS maps as 'Garrison (in ruins)', it appears as a rectangular enclosure with a double bank on the W to NW side. Today the enclosure has been disfigured by field fences and the E and SSE banks have been destroyed due to their construction. The firing or outer bank of the enclosure runs in a N-E-SW direction. This bank measures 57m in length. The maximum width at the base of the bank measures 7m, the external height of the bank 2.2m, and the internal height 1.2m. At both ends of the bank, it tapers off and merges into the surrounding land. There is a distance of 1.6m between the bank and the field fence. At a distance of 22m from the NW section of the bank, there is an incurve in the bank measuring 4m deep and 6m wide. The rectangular area itself measures 38m NE- SW and 41m NW-SE internally, and appears as a raised area over the surrounding land. There is a distance of 5m between the outer bank and the 'garrison' itself. The external height of the bank measures .6m. A slight fosse is to be noted and measures .8m wide and .4m deep. In the interior of the garrison there is a large depression measuring 6m x 9m. Listowel's strategic importance was appreciated by the English authorities, and this can be seen from a list prepared on 23 April 1659 in which Listowel is named as one of the garrisons which is to be held if Ireland should be invaded. Forty men are suggested for the garrison of Listowel (Gaughan, 1973, 83). The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 981. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 3 August 2013