Promontory fort — coastal in Achadh Dúin

Situated on one of several finger-like projections which jut out into the sea along this part of the coastline of the Mullet peninsula. The area is one of hilly coarse grazing and bog, with two other fortified headlands nearby (MA002-001---, MA002-007001--). The view from the site is panoramic and the two coves which flank the headland are accessible from a point immediately outside the site. A freshwater stream flows down the cliff face outside the site. This long narrow precipitous promontory, known as 'Dun Fiachrach' is defended by a series of walls and ditches which span the narrow neck. The interior measures 110m long and 40m at its widest point. The defences have deteriorated considerably since they were described by Westropp (1912b, 17-19). The innermost defensive feature consists of a now nearly totally collapsed stone wall. Its faces are still visible and it is 2.6m wide. It was built of random coursed limestone drystone masonry and a clearly defined entrance l.lm in width lies 6m from the northern edge. At either end only a 4.5m wide grassed over bank is visible where the wall has collapsed and fallen into the sea. The wall stands 1.7m in height and a 2.5m wide berm separates this from a deep fosse which runs parallel to and outside the wall. The fosse is 2.3m deep and 7m wide across the top. It is flat bottomed and steep sided and is transversed by a 1.9m wide causeway. At a distance of 5m east of this again are the poorly preserved remains of a second stone wall, 1.78m wide and only 4m long. Its northern part has fallen into the sea, as has most of the deep external fosse which lay immediately outside it. To the E of these features are several undulations in the ground and the remains of at least one earthen bank crossing the neck at its narrowest point. This bank is 1.2m high and traces of two ditches are visible on either side of it. The interior of the site is covered with traces of old lazybeds, some of which end directly at the cliff edge, suggesting recent erosion. A faint earthen bank runs along the cliff edge except at the W. The garth is level at the west but slopes down to the defences and is otherwise featureless. 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 Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway. In this instance the entry has been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 5 December 2018