Promontory fort — coastal in Ballygilcash

Casey (1999, 195) recorded a possible promontory fort in Ballygilgash townland at OS 6-inch co-ordinates 168 202 and NGR G437351 (equating approximately with ITM 543647 835111), and described it follows: ‘An oblong headland lies along the coast beside a stream near Donagh Pier. The area is one of fertile grazing and steep cliffs lie on either side of the site. A small headland, measuring 14m east-west by 4m north-south is cut off from the mainland by a 1m deep, 3.5m wide fosse with traces of a low earthen bank on either side. A path runs along the cliff edge into the interior which is featureless. It is unclear whether or not this fosse is man-made.’ The area was inspected in December 2014. The Ballygilcash coastline consists of a storm beach bisected at its E end by the mouth of a river. There is no pier in the vicinity. There are cliffs extending N from the W end of the beach but no headland projects from them. No evidence of a promontory fort was found at the location of the recorded co-ordinates, or along the storm beach, or at a narrow projecting spit of land at the mouth of the river. The landscape on the Ballygilcash coastline does not match Casey’s description; it is possible that the locational detail is incorrect. The exact location of the possible promontory fort remains unknown. Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 13 January 2015