2 62 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



long, north and south, by 12 feet wide : some set ones appear. Behind them 

 rises a second steep slope, for about 65 feet. The top platform is about 

 25 yards wide on the summit. There are no hut-foundations apparent, and 

 it was probably too storm-swept for residence. Indeed, the fort itself was 

 probably uninhabited, save when, in the event of raiders landing on the 

 island, the inhabitants lied, with their goods and cattle, to its friendly 

 shelter. 



House-Sites. — Eastward from Dutimore is a low ridge of hills, and along 

 a natural terrace, to either side, we found five hut-sites. (Plate X-) 

 » (a) The first is built against a low perpendicular rock near the west end, 

 in full sight of Dunmore. Like all these sites, it has been long since 

 reduced to its foundations. Probably it was largely built of sods, with stone 

 facings. So little remains that we cannot tell whether the roofs were of 

 stone ; but the remains of corbelled roofs over the smaller cells on Inishturk 

 and those of Inishglora and High Island suggest that some at least were so 

 covered. It had four circular cells, 6 feet wide, and with walls 3 feet thick, 

 grouped round a court, or larger cell, 11 feet by 9 feet. 



(b) Farther eastward, on a bold green knoll, once cultivated, was a circular 

 house-iing. Unfortunately it was included in the tillage-plots, when much 

 corn was grown in the islands during the wars with Xapoleon, and its 

 interior was dug up along with its western side. It is like that of Lough- 

 uamucka on Turk, and those on Caher Island. It is, like the last, circular, 

 and 39 feet inside ; the wall of earth, stone-faced, and from 9 feet to 11 feet 

 thick. The gateway faced eastward, with one block, 4 feet long ; it is about 

 8 feet wide, but may have been originally about half that width. 



(c) The third has a straight wall against the steep slope to the north, with 

 large face-blocks, 4 feet to 6 feet long, and 3 feet high and thick. Against 

 this was a court, or central room, D-shaped in plan, in the middle of which 

 is a regular circular pit, 4 feet deep, evidently modern. Pound it are five 

 (or perhaps six) huts, usually oval, and about 6 feet by 5 feet. The north- 

 western seems to be polygonal. 



On the northern slope of the hill are two simpler house-rings, noted by 

 the indefatigable search of Dr. Fogerty, while I was at work on Dunmore. 



(d) The more western is also in sight of the great fort. It has gaps to 

 the east and west, being much levelled and hardly 2 feet high ; all the facing 

 has been removed. It is oval, 18 feet north and south by 21 feet east 

 and west inside. The wall is 9 feet thick to the north and east, and 

 6 feet elsewhere. 



(e) Still farther eastward in a nook of the slope remains the northern 

 - _ nent of another ring, the rest entirely eiiaeed. What remains is G feet 



