Enclosure, Cloonisle, Co. Galway

Co. Galway |

Enclosures

Enclosure, Cloonisle, Co. Galway

On the north-western edge of an ancient field system in Cloonisle, County Galway, a rough ring of single boulders traces out a shape that is easy to walk past without registering what it once was.

The enclosure is subcircular, measuring roughly 23 metres east to west and just under 21 metres north to south, and it survives only poorly. What distinguishes it, beyond its quiet persistence in the landscape, is a line of boulders inside the circuit that suggests an internal division, a partitioning of whatever space this structure once contained.

Enclosures of this kind are common enough across the west of Ireland, typically associated with early agricultural or settlement activity, sometimes serving as cattle pounds or the outer boundaries of small farmsteads. The boulders used here are single rather than coursed, which points to a relatively simple construction, though the precise date and function of this particular example have not been established. It sits at the north-western limits of a broader field system, which suggests it may have been a boundary feature or an annexe of some kind within a more complex arrangement of land use. The site was catalogued in the Archaeological Inventory of County Galway, compiled by Paul Gosling and published in 1993, which remains a key reference for prehistoric and early historic monuments across the county.

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 Enclosure, Cloonisle, 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