Westropp — Types of the Ring-forts of Eastern Co. Clare. 65 



with one of the ring-wall homesteads, with its surrounding bawns and hut- 

 enclosures, such as we find near Castlefergus, and not unfrequently in the 

 uplands in the north-west of Clare. A gold fibula, exactly like those found 

 near Moghane fort, was found at the dolmen. Eossroe rath is a good example, 

 with an outer ring, deep wet fosse, and high inner ring about 100 feet across 

 the garth. Two stone forts, mere rings of overgrown filling, lie between it and 

 Ballysheen (Baile ui oisin, 1390). Cloonmunnia has a large fort 250 feet 

 across east and west, and about 170 feet north and south. In Castle Lake, 

 adjoining Ballymulcassell, is MacCarthy's Island, an interesting little crannog 

 carefully constructed with roughly hewn beams, some with mortices, inter- 

 laced with piles driven into a shoal and packed with small stones. On the 

 overgrown platform Mrs. Butler (to whose kindness I owed my opportunity 

 of examining this lake dwelling in the very dry spring of 1903) found a 

 flat stone axe and a layer of bones, including a tusk of a large wild boar. It- 

 is hardly possible to do more than enumerate the crowded but featureless 

 forts of this district. I have already discussed the probable site of the lost 

 mote (probably the castle of Huamerith, 1199) at Baile an mhuta, probably 

 near Cappagh and Sixmilebridge. 



Cleenagh. 



Kxockadoon (O. S. 51). — A low, steep hill rises between Cleenagh 

 Castle and the estuary of the Fergus. On the top, or rather round it, is a 

 large and conspicuous earthwork. It has an outer ring from 3 feet to 5 feet 

 high, with stone-facing inside ; the fosse is hardly simk below the outer field 

 at the south-east, but is usually about 4 feet deep. The inner mound is steep 

 and well preserved, rising 12 feet above the bottom of the fosse to the south- 

 west, and usually from 10 feet to 11 feet high ; it was 9 feet thick and stone- 

 faced inside (and I think most probably outside) with large blocks. The 

 platform is terraced up and fairly level 265 feet east and west, and 189 feet 

 north and south, 317 feet x 263 feet over all. A gravelike mound lies north 

 and south inside, but may be part of a demolished fence. 



To the south lies a defaced house-ring, with no fosse, about 54 feet over 

 all. There is a fine view from the great fort over the estuary and its 

 numerous islands. 



Cullaun to Ardsollas. 

 Goeteen (O. S. 35). In a craggy region, overgrown with hazels, between 

 Cullaunyheeda Lough and Dangan, is a very curious group of small forts. 

 Though the majority are dilapidated, and many have not been marked even 

 on the new maps, I regard them as worthy of note, being probably very late 

 and decadent. Very briefly I enumerate them, and give a map on which 



E.I.A. EROC.. VOL. XSXII., SECT. C. [10] 



