Hut site, Coolnatullagh, Co. Clare

Co. Clare |

Settlement Sites

Hut site, Coolnatullagh, Co. Clare

On a narrow ledge just below the north-eastern summit of Gortaclare Mountain in County Clare, someone once built a home.

The remains of a circular hut site, roughly 7.5 metres in diameter, sit on that ledge today, small enough to seem almost incidental against the mountain's bulk, yet precise enough in its placement to suggest deliberate choice. What makes this particular spot quietly arresting is not just the single structure but the company it keeps: a second hut site lies approximately 7 metres to the south-west on the same ledge, and further down the slopes, around 250 metres to the north-east, a cluster of between fifteen and twenty irregular hut sites occupies the lower ground.

The site was noted by researcher Ros Ó Maoldúin and identified through aerial imagery, including Digital Globe photography from 2011 to 2013 and OSi Aerial Premium coverage from 2012 to 2018. Hut sites of this kind, typically the footprints of dry-stone or turf-walled shelters used by people living or working at altitude, are found across upland Ireland, though they are not always easy to read from the ground. The concentration here, with the paired ledge structures set apart from the larger, looser grouping below, raises questions about how the mountain was used and by whom. Whether the upper and lower clusters relate to one another, and across what period, remains open.

Rated 0 out of 5

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of Pete F
Pete F
IrishHistory.com is passionate about helping people discover and connect with the rich stories of their local communities.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Hut site, Coolnatullagh, Co. Clare. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 100 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.

Advertisement