226 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



disclosed faces the S.S.E. The west pier is of four stones, the east of three, 

 the passage being 4 feet 7 inches wide, and the wall at this point far thicker 

 than elsewhere, being 10 feet through. The wall of the annexe is C-shaped 

 in plan, looping against the central ring at the cliff ; all is so defaced and 

 rebuilt as to be indescribable. The foundations crossed by it are now removed, 

 but were clearly traceable in 1898, showing that it was a late curtailment of 

 the fort, built over the lines of the large annexe, which girt the whole summit 

 of the knoll. This latter is now well shown since the field was cleared ; 

 long heaps of debris of fairly large stones remain. The new plan of 

 Langough, in the Survey Maps of 1900, is lamentably inferior to that in 

 1839 ; evidently the former was by some one who understood the remains 

 thoroughly, as in the case of Moghane Fort, 



To the east of Langough is a small ring- wall 65 feet to 70 feet across 

 the garth, which is now of level sward, though in tillage in 1893. The 

 foundation blocks show that the wall was 7 feet thick and had two faces : 

 some of the inner face remains imbedded in a fence ; the rest is a mere 

 ring of filling. Southward, on the edge of the marshes, is a green mound 

 surrounded by a shallow fosse 6 feet wide, with a slight outer ring round 

 the downward slope. This mound is about 5 feet high and oval, 50 feet 

 to 63 feet across the top and 90 feet within the fosse. It is reputed to 

 contain cellars and to be dangerously infested by the " dawnshee folk." 

 The fairies are generally believed to select earthworks in preference to 

 ring-walls in this district, judging by the many raths and few cahers 

 reputedly haunted. So far back as the middle of the fourteenth century 

 Macgrath makes a " banshee " declare, in 1318, that she lived " in the 

 green fairy mounds," but had her " dwelling in hell."^ 



Caherscooby (42). — None of the forts in this townland seem to have 

 exclusive right to its name. The chief one is on the actual bounds, pro- 

 jecting into Caherkine townland. It is a prominent object as seen from 

 Moghane fort, showing as a grey ring on its knoll, a low, rounded hill about 

 200 feet above the sea, and rising boldly above the surrounding country 

 save Moghane — commanding a beautiful view like the former out to 

 Knocknaminna and Mount Callan, the Burren and Cratloe Hills, with 

 BaUycarr Lake, and the Shannon, and the fairy hill of Knockfierna in the 

 middle of County Limerick. 



The fort is much levelled, but was of excellent masonry, with large 

 facing. There are several hut- sites and a souterrain in its garth; the "cave" 

 lies north and south, and is 32 feet long by 3 feet 7 inches wide, covered 



1 Cathreim Thoirdhpalbhaigh. 



