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VIII. 



TYPES OF THE EING-FOETS AND SIMILAE STEUCTUEES 

 EEMAINING IN EASTEEN CLAEE (THE NEWMAEKET GEOUP). 



By THOMAS JOHNSON WESTEOPP, m.a. 

 Plates IX., X. 



Eead June 22. Ordered for Publication June 24. Published August 29, 1908. 



The better preservation and great number of the forts, chiefly of stone, in 

 the north-western parts of county Glare have led to much attention being 

 given to them, and more constant efforts being made to publish the resultant 

 plans, views, and notes. It is impossible to overrate the value of these 

 structures for comparative archaeology. Their frequent completeness, the 

 variety of features occurring in them, and the evident continuance of their 

 erection from early to comparatively late periods, give them a value which 

 at least the antiquaries of France have appreciated, and those of Scotland 

 and Wales were not slow to recognize. While engaged on this task we were 

 not neglectful of collecting notes on the similar remains in the other sections 

 of the county, especially in its eastern baronies, and hope now to bring 

 before the Academy the result of investigations carried on since 1893, and 

 sufficient to show the character of the prevailing types, and to describe at 

 greater length some of the more interesting examples — one of a very peculiar 

 description. 



In order to secure a really typical series, we may take the forts lying 

 in a broad band from Newmarket-on-Fergus to the south of Quin, past Tulla 

 to Tomgraney : this brings us through a country varied in physical character 

 and tribal history, and gives us the utmost variety in the character of 

 the forts. 



We include a very full account of INIoghane caher, the largest stone fort 

 in Ireland, the notes previously published^ being scanty, and the fort of 

 great interest and importance. Owing to the clearing away of the brushwood, 

 we are able to study better the strangely rebuilt caher of Langough. The 



1 Royal Society of Antiquaries (Ireland) Journal, vol. xxiii., p. 281. Proc. R. I. Acad., 

 ser. iii., vol. vi., p. 440. Trans. E, I. Acad., vol. xxxi., p. 112. 



E. I. A. PROC, VOL. XXVII., SECT. C, [33] 



