Cashel and Altars — Capnagower

Situated on a level but frequently waterlogged pasture in enclosed farmland: described by Westropp (1911a, 25) as ‘a bushy hollow’ but it is now devoid of any shrubby vegetation. The land in the area slopes generally towards SE, and the site overlooks the shoreline and Kinnacorra Point 250m distant. The enclosure is part of a cluster of monuments associated with a holy well (MA085-012002-): it lies immediately to S of the latter. An altar (MA085-012003-) and a cell (MA085-012004-) occupy its NE quadrant, and there is a mound (MA085-012005- ) outside it to SW. A dilapidated field wall runs past the enclosure immediately to E following a N–S axis. In local lore, these monuments are the focus of traditions concerning Granuaile (Westropp 1911a, 26; Cullen and Gill 1992d, 8). On first edition of Ordnance Survey map (1840), this monument is shown as a small trapezoidal enclosure (c. 15m × c. 12m), its long axis running NNW–SSE. However, it appears to have been remodelled by the time of the first Clare Island Survey (Westropp 1911a, 17, 25–7). Westropp (1911a, 26–7) noted that it was ‘evidently rebuilt, even in recent times’ adding that ‘all the wall to the west and south has been much rebuilt; but the foundations and set slabs are in situ, and the northern and eastern parts are mainly ancient’ (1911a, 26). He described its plan as ‘irregularly quadrilateral, with rounded corners’. Although little has changed since, it can be more simply summarised as an enclosure of roughly circular plan (ESE–WNW 17m, NNE–SSW 17.1m) defined by a double-faced drystone wall. The wall (Wth 1.4m × H 1.1m max.) is roughly built of large limestone blocks (max. dim. 0.6m) and stones: a few sandstone blocks are also present, particularly at the entrance. Although well preserved from SE through S and W to NNW, the wall is much dilapidated elsewhere, particularly in the vicinity of the stone-built cell at N and at E. In the latter sector all that defines its line are two massive upright slabs (H 0.65m) along its inner edge. The entrance, at S, is neatly built but is unusual in that its jambs splay outwards (Wth: inner end 1.2m, outer 1.9m). The interior is flat and springy underfoot save for a few stones and slabs that protrude from the grassy surface in the eastern half and a number of stones that have been displaced from the enclosing wall (Corlett 2001, 121). The above description is derived from: New Survey of Clare Island. Volume 5: Archaeology. Edited by Paul Gosling, Conleth Manning and John Waddell. (Royal Irish Academy, Dublin. 2007). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Date of upload: 29 November 2018