Westropp — Fortified Headlands Sf Castles, S. Coast of Munster. 99 



164 feet long (inside and out), and from 18 feet to 21 feet thick at various 

 points. The foundations of each face remain, the outer being (as usual) 

 of far larger slabs than the inner ; but it is rarely 3 feet high, and the 

 demolition is still going on. At 105 feet from the eastern cliff, on the 

 edge of which the great rampart abuts, is the gateway. It was 4 feet 2 inches 

 wide outside. The passage is marked along the east by a line of great slabs ; 

 they measure, going inward, 7 feet 5 inches by 3 feet 3 inches, 6 feet 3 inches 

 by 3 feet 6 inches ; the actual lintel still across the side-piers is 6 feet 3 inches 

 by 2 feet by 8 inches. At 48 feet from the gate eastward a short reach of 

 the outer wall is preserved ; the slabs are from 3 feet 6 inches to 6 feet 6 inches 

 long, and 8 or 10 inches thick. Few are under 3 feet 9 inches long. The 

 interior was packed with smaller flags. I saw no hut-sites inside. 1 The 

 western cove is locally named Coosdearg from the rich red heather on its 

 sides. Farther westward is a great gully — a collapsed cave said to have 

 been named Coosnashesharee from a team of oxen which, when ploughing 

 near it, took fright and ran with the plough over the precipice. 



The next examples have all got fosses. 



Faillnalour Inishekkin (O.S. 153). — The slight remains of a promontory- 

 fort occur at the north-west corner of Sherkin in Cloddagh townland. It is 

 one of a series of low reefs and rocks, the latter capped with deep beds of drift. 

 The fosse is straight, about 25 feet wide and 60 feet long. To the south 

 another point is called Eeenaraha, 'the point of the rath'; but not even the 

 slightest trace remains to justify the name, unless it got transferred from 

 Faillnalour, as " Leimataggart " has got transferred to two other places even 

 more distant from the real site in the Mullet of Mayo. 2 



Keen (O.S. 151). — The Rinn, or point, to the east of Castlehaven between 

 it and the Squince, was once fortified. I found no early records; but it was 

 part of the estates of the Barrys, Viscounts of Buttevant, and part of the 

 Manor of Tymolegge : Edmond Hodnett of Court mac Shearii, held it at his 

 death on 24th June, 1570, and was succeeded by his son James, till 

 1623. 3 The date of this "Entrenchment" is problematical. Perhaps (and 

 most probably) it was a small promontory-fort (with a straight mound and 

 ditch) which was walled in late times. 



In 1586 Geffry Fenton wrote to Burghley recommending a bulwark to be 

 placed on the eastern points of Castlehaven and Glandore, to " make it too 

 hot for ships to enter." 4 We are not told that this was carried out at Eeen ; 

 certainly it was not done on the east point of Glandore. Smith, 5 in 1750, 



1 Plan, Plate X. 2 Plan, Plate X. 



3 Inquis. Chancery, No. 95, Car. I, 1628. 



4 C. D. I. 1586, p. 192. 6 "Cork," vol. i, p. 272. 



[15*] 



