Ringfort (Cashel), Barnaderg, Co. Galway

Co. Galway |

Ringforts

Ringfort (Cashel), Barnaderg, Co. Galway

On a south-facing slope in the undulating grassland of Barnaderg, County Galway, a cashel sits so quietly absorbed into the landscape that it is easy to mistake its low, grassed-over walls for ordinary field boundaries.

A cashel is essentially a ringfort built from stone rather than earthen banks, the word deriving from the Latin castellum, and this particular example is a fairly substantial one, measuring roughly 45 metres east to west and 41 metres north to south. Its enclosing drystone wall, now entirely overgrown, has been further obscured along the southern side by a later field wall built directly on top of it, the practical concerns of agricultural life having gradually swallowed the older structure whole.

What makes the site quietly interesting is not the outer wall alone but the arrangement of stone structures preserved within the interior. Three distinct features have been identified inside the enclosure. To the north, an oval structure roughly 16 metres by 14 metres is thought to represent an internal division of the cashel's space, as is a smaller triangular structure to the south, around 10 metres long and nearly 9 metres wide. To the west, a D-shaped feature approximately 7 metres by 6 metres is interpreted as a house. The presence of a stone wall radiating outward from the monument at the north-east adds a further layer of ambiguity; it may be associated with the cashel, or it may belong to a different phase of use entirely. Taken together, these overlapping remains suggest a settlement that was organised and subdivided rather than simply enclosed, though the poor state of preservation makes any firm reading of the layout difficult.

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 Ringfort (Cashel), Barnaderg, Co. Galway. 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