Doomore Fort — Ballindoo OR Doocastle

In pasture, at the junction of four field fences, prominently located on a top of a hill, the highest point (OD 372’) in the locality, with panoramic views of the surrounding grassland mixed with expanses of bog. Knocknarae, crowned by Maeve’s cairn (SL014-), is visible on the far horizon to N, with Ben Bulben to NW. This bowl barrow is named ‘Doomore Fort’ on the 1838 and 1920 OS 6-inch maps. It consists of a substantial circular mound (diam. 27.4m; H 5m) with a domed profile. Enclosing the base of the mound is a broad, shallow depression/fosse, defined on its outer edge on the W half by an earthen field fence (Wth 0.8-1m; int. H 1.35m; ext. H 0.55m) and on the E half by a field wall (Wth 0.8m; int. H 1.1m; ext. H 0.3m). The fosse varies in width (Wth 7-8m at E and W, 5.5m at N, 6.5m at S). It appears slightly sunken relative to exterior ground level, suggesting that it is a primary fosse, rather than merely a gap intervening between the mound and field fence. The field fence is similar in form to others in the vicinity; it is relatively narrow relative to the fosse, and does not appear to be an original enclosing bank. A small eroded section of the mound slope at W reveals that it is composed of earth and stone. It is grass-covered, with gorse bushes growing on S side. The encircling field fence is ringed with hawthorn bushes. Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 26 June 2020