Westeopp — Types of the Ring-forts of Eastern Co. Clare. 71 



These earthworks have no traces of stone revetments. Such probably once 

 existed, but, if so, very long ago. In the field to the south-west, near Wellpark, 

 is a deep natural pit such as is locally called a " thunder-hole " and is supposed 

 to be made by a bolt ; it is fenced by large stones. 



Toonagh. — Toonagh, the Tuanamoyree of 1655, containing the mound of 

 Magh Adhair, adjoins Corbally on the east. On the highest ground behind 

 Toonagh House, with its lines of huge horse-chestnuts and lilac bushes, a fine 

 fort lies. JSTo stonework remains ; but its removal must be recent ; and the hard 

 clay banks remain virtually perpendicular. A faint hollow, 15 feet wide, but 

 hardly a fosse, girds the liss ; the ring is 9 feet thick, and high to the south, 

 and 6 feet elsewhere; the garth is 115 feet north and south by 102 feet, or 

 133 feet and 120 feet over all. The bank is planted with great old beeches. 

 A large block lies in the garth. No fort name is remembered. 



Spancel Hill Group (O.S. 26, 34). 



I will finish my survey with the group near Spancel Hill (the ancient 

 Cnoc fuarchoilli or Cnoc Uarchoill, " Cold- wood hill"), for the parishes of 

 Kilraghtis and Inehicronan belong to central Co. Clare. The group contains 

 two interesting works, the " square fort " of Knoeksallaghmore and the strong 

 double-ringed cathair of Cahershaughnessy, one of the chief forts of the 

 district. 



Eylane (O.S. 26), — A group of little forts, called from recent tenants 

 of the adjoining farms, lies in this townland; we have already noted its 

 dolmens and a curious primitive burial-place there. 



The most northern fort, called Mangan's Fort, is a low ring-wall on 

 a steep grassy hill 300 feet above the sea, with the widest outlook of 

 any of these forts, save Moghane. The wall is of coarse, large blocks of 

 conglomerate, with large filling of field-stones ; it is 10 feet thick, and 

 rarely over 3 feet high. The garth, a nearly impenetrable thicket of furze, 

 hawthorn, and rowan, is 115 feet across with no visible enclosures. 



The foundations of Eylane castle remain, with a large cut jamb-block, 

 on a craggy platform from 12 to 15 feet high, and about 50 feet each way, 

 over a spring called Toberlaghan. It is not marked on the maps. 



Hehir's Fort to the east of the Fiaghmore road was entirely levelled by 

 Mr. Henry Spaight some forty years ago ; the men refused to touch it till he 

 dug the first sods, and all attributed his early death to the act. It is covered 

 by tall furze bushes ; hardly a trace remains inside. 



Naughton's Fort lies across the road westward on a bolder ridge. It is 

 a remarkably fine and perfect example, though the stone facing has been 



