Clyrower Old Fence — Ballygriffin (ballygriffin Par.),lisheen (ballygriffin Par.)

In improved pasture for duration. Follows close to River Suir from its confluence with the Multeen River to S in Ballygriffin townland and extends to NE into Lisheen townland. At the S end a cliff-edge fort (TS060-074----) is strategically placed within the southern axis of confluence of the Multeen River and the River Suir. Another cliff-edge fort (TS060-071----), located on the SE bank of the River Suir, overlooks this confluence to the SW. According to the OS Namebook (O'Donovan c. 1840), 'From Lisheen House in a south westerly direction to the Suir, runs a fence said to have been an ancient territorial boundary'. The S section, aligned roughly N-S, is visible as the remains of a levelled bank (dims. Wth at top 6m; total Wth 7.9m; H at E 0.05m; H at W 0.07m) which is also defined as a level area (Wth 9m) with a scarp (Wth 1.25m; H 0.17m) on its W-side and an existing hedgerow field boundary to E which is partially incorporated into a farm trackway. A short, but reasonably well preserved bank (Wth at top 2.75m; total Wth 4.5m; H at S 0.2m; H at N 0.15m) extends (long-axis ENE-WSW) at the northern end of this section. The mid-section changes direction, running roughly E-W, the western end is incorporated into a trackway and the eastern end is not visible above ground where a steep, wooded scarp falls from improved pasture at N, to the flood plain of the River Suir to S. The northern section runs NE-SW towards Lisheen House. At the SW-end, the bank (Wth at top 1.3m; total Wth 5.85m; H at E 0.55m; H at W 0.95m) is incorporated into a field boundary. The best preserved section of the monument (max. H 1.5m) survives incorporated into an existing field boundary, though further N the boundary (long-axis NE-SW) appears to have been removed without trace. A short portion of the monument may be incorporated into a field boundary (L c. 72m) S of Lisheen House, where the bank (Wth c. 2.1m; H 0.5m at WNW; H 0.55m at ESE) is aligned with mature trees, with a land drain on the WNW-side. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011