Westropp — Cists, Dolmens, and Pillars of East Clare. 89 



(at Kilcornan) of scribing, wlicreas hammer-clressing occurs in several 

 of those made of limestone slabs in the districts of BuiTcn and 

 Inchiquin. 



(1). CAHEEArnccA, Inchicronan Parish (0. S. Sheet 26, No. 2). — A 

 veryperfect double-chambered cist made of five side stones and two covers 

 lies close to the north west of the main road from Ennis to Gort, not 

 far to the south of the village of Crusheen. It is in perfect preserva- 

 tion, and is a most interesting specimen ; but, like every other dolmen 

 (except the closely similar Ballinphunta), known to me in this county, 

 it has been opened. There seem to be slight traces of the earth mound 

 in which it was once embedded. It is of the usual type, getting 

 narrower and lower towards the last. Its axis (as is usual) lies E.S.E. 

 and "W.N.'W. ; and the main chamber, which is exactly 8 feet long 

 inside, tapers from 5 feet 5 inches to 4 feet 4 inches. The sides are 



Fig. 13. — Caheraphuca. 



4 feet high to the west and 2 feet 7 inches to the east, the lesser 

 and lower chamber being only 18 inches high at its eastern end 

 a,nd 4 feet long. The block closing the western end measures 5 feet 

 3 inches by 4 feet 2 inches by 12 inches. The north block of the 

 larger chamber, 7 feet 3 inches by 13 inches thick ; the southern, 8 feet 

 long, 4 feet to 2 feet 7 inches high, by 13 inches thick. The blocks are 

 of the coarse and irregular gritstone of the district and exhibit no 

 dressing. A fine and pictui'esque hawthorn springs at the north side 

 near the junction of the two chambers, and is, I fear, slowly overturn- 

 ing the structui-e. The dolmen has been illustrated by Mr. Borlase.' 

 Of the defaced Caher, which gives its name to the townland, I have 

 failed to find any legend. It is possible that it was deserted at an 

 ■early date, and the people (before the townland name was fixed) 

 believed that it was haunted by the phuca — that mischievous goblin 

 pony or goat which, even in this age of unbelief, is still a reality to 

 some of the peasantry. This connexion of the phuca with forts and 



1 "Dolmens of Ireland," vol. i., p. 82. See plan, p. 88, fig. 1, supra, nn.l 

 Plate v., fig. 1. 



[7*] 



