Enclosure in Clooneen (tireragh By.)

Located on a gentle elevation in undulating pasture. There is an expanse of more lowlying, wetter land to E and SE, with a stream c. 100m to SE. Slightly raised, sub-rectangular area (36.5m NW–SE; 34m NE–SW) defined by a scarp, and enclosed by a fosse and remnants of an external bank. The enclosing elements have been partly levelled or modified. They are best defined on the SW side. Here, the scarp (H 0.75m) drops into a fosse which is clearly discernible as a shallow depression (W 2m) marked by a growth of irises. Outside the fosse is a broad low rise (Wth c. 3.5-4m; int. H 0.3m; ext H 0.1-0.2m) representing the levelled external bank. On the NW side the enclosing elements have been modified or truncated by incorporation into a field fence/hedgerow, which also skirts the NE corner of the enclosure. On the NE side the scarp is largely levelled, but the fosse and the external bank are clearly visible. The SE side was also incorporated into a NE–SW field fence, recorded on the 1913 OS 6-inch map, but the fence has since been removed, leaving the scrap relatively intact but removing almost all trace of the fosse and external bank. The interior is relatively level. Faint linear undulations, on a NW–SE axis, may represent relict cultivation ridges, possibly related to the period of occupation of a now ruined vernacular cottage located c. 70m to SE. A rath (SL011-090001-), hut sites (SL011-090002- to SL011-090006-) and associated field system (SL011-090007-) are located c. 170m to W. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 12 April 2013