64 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



.SmOLEBKIDGE GROUP. 



Gortadeckua (0. S. - . — It is on the western bank of the Owenogarna 

 (amhann o geearnaigh) river, in a rich, green "callow," and is now much 

 levelled. It measures about 250 feet over all, and 150 feet across the garth, 

 with a shallow fosse and a defaced inner ring, each 10 feet to 12 feet wide, 

 the latter 3 feet to 5 feet high. It is close to, and, to appearance, even over- 

 hung by the dark heathery tidge near Snaty Peak. 



Exagh (0. S. 43). — A large fort on the rising ground north from the 

 old house of Stacpole's Court, once the property of that Bartholomew 

 Stacpole, the Eecorder of Limerick, who, in 1651, signed, on behalf of the 

 citizens, the surrender of that city to General Ireton. The earthwork has 

 recently been nearly levelled by an improving fanner, so I preserve a 

 description. The place derived its name, Eanach TJi Eloinn, from a "fair" 

 or rather great tribal gathering) held, d oubtless, near the chief fort, 1 in the 

 territory of the O'Elynns. The fort consisted of a ring, about 200 feet across 

 over all, with steep, stone-faced earthen banks, 8 feet to 10 feet thick, and, I 

 believe, no fosse ; but the only section still in any sort of preservation was 

 next the annexe, and needed no extra defence, and the rest is obliterated. 

 The annexe is to the south-east of the ring, and measures 350 feet over all 

 east and west, and 250 feet south-west and north-east across the garth. Its 

 rampart varies from 9 feet to 12 feet thick to the west, and is stone-faced. 

 All the southern and most of the northern part are levelled to improve the 

 field. In Enagh "West, lying beside the castle, and the slight depression of 

 Glennagaurlagh, are three defaced forts, each about 100 feet across. There 

 are seven in Ballymulcashel and Curraghkilleen 



Goktal. - 52). — A large circular entrenchment 250 feet across 



lies at Gortalassa or Fortfield. There are some eight low rings, usually with 

 shallow fosses, between the Owenogarna and Castlecrine. A large but much 

 repaired fort, 210 feet across, with high banks, is in Castlecrine, on a knoll 

 above the beautiful old orchard, with grey-mossed apple trees and sheets of 

 daffodils in the spring. 



Rosa E O. S — There are some very curious and irregular groups of 

 earthworks on the gentle slope east of Eossroe Peel Tower, and the dolmen of 

 Knockalappa, beside Eossroe Lake, but too tangled and levelled to explain, 

 probably representing a series of alterations made in far different periods 



1 The Eanach names in Co. Clare are the Eanachs of O'Flinn and Magh Adhair, Bally- 

 kinvarga, Eanty, near Caherconnell fort, and Creganenagh Hill near Xeraioncronan, 

 also Enagh near Milltown Malbay. 



