Westkoi'P —Early Forts and i^/oiie IJuts in Ini-t/iinorc, A ran. 1 1 



of large stones — namely, the inner and central parts 4 feet each, the outer 

 8 feet and 12 feet to 16 feet high. The doorway was 8 feet 4 inclies wide, 

 but was hruken down. Four flights of steps lay to the cardinal points, all too 

 defaced for description. The plan shows tliein as ladder-steps. He then 

 notes Kilchomla, a reputed grave of a saint, below the fort, and au (jl)long 

 building " near the fort," 20 feet by 13 feet, with three more of similar form 

 and ei^ual dimensions to the north-east. It may be seen that there are also 

 three such houses at that point inside the fort. 



Petrie, in 1821, does not name the fort; Ferguson, in 1852, barely 

 mentions its better preservation and more massive masonry. Lord Dunraven 

 gives a fine view (Plate VII of liis work) he gives the dimensions as 97 feet 

 north and south, 93 feet east and west; stones 3 feet and 4 feet long, and 

 1 foot 6 inches deep, weU laid. The wall, ruined to the east, 16 feet liigli, 

 and apparently single, though (as he notes) O'Donovan describes three 

 divisions : the platfoi'm is 3 feet deep and 6 feet or 7 feet high, with three- 

 feet " recesses " in it, one opposite the door, the others at right angles, and 

 four flights of steps from the area to the top, " now " quite destroyed. 



" The Irish Builder " adds nothing, following Dunraven closely ; my notes 

 in 1878 are scanty, " a much smaller fort than Moher (?), or Doon Conor, but 

 higli walls and broken door on a crag." 



As we find it at present, Dun Eoghanachta' is in good repair, the walls 

 being of regular large blocks, many laid as stretchers," one 5 feet 3 inches 

 long, others over 4 feet ; there is a Ijatter, of 2 inches to 2i inches in 36 inches, 

 in places to the west and east. The gateway is rebuilt at the outer ope, being 

 5 feet 6 inches to 6 feet 3 inches wide, the wall 14 feet 2 inches thick. Going 

 from the doorway south-westward (to the left) the following features occur: — 

 at 11 feet a ladder-flight of six feet steps, 4 feet 2 inches wide, up the terrace, 

 which is 5 feet high ; at 50 feet is another ladder 4 feet 2 inches wide, with 

 nine steps in the terrace, and flights to left and right, with late steps up the 

 wall, in a recess; the terrace is 6 feet 10 inches high; at 92 feet 6 indies we 

 reach the huts, hereafter described ; at 106 feet 9 inches, the ladder-ilight, 

 opposite the gateway, with eight steps up the terrace ; a flight of eiglit steps 

 rising to the left in upper wall, and another rising to the right ; at 153 feet 

 another ladder up the terrace, 3 feet 10 inches wide, the terrace Ijeing 5 feet 

 3 inches high and 3 feet 3 inches wide ; the steps again are in a recess, five 

 steps to each side ; at 273 feet is a peculiar ladder-stair ; the whole circuit 



or battering. Petiio gives a plan in "Military Architecture," showing door to north-cast, steps 

 to north, west, and east, from the area up ; from tlif south side of the second a stair ascends to the 

 top. The wall is of three sections. 



' See Plate VII., iig. 1. 



- The sides remained in IS 39 ; it was 5 feet 9 inches wide. 



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