forts historical ireland

Barnacahogue Stone Fort is located close to the runway at Knock International Airport. Situated within a ring of hills, this is a good example of small fortified enclosures which were used from the late Iron Age (AD 500). The remains of a wall, some 5ft thick and 50ft in diameter, encircle the flat summit. These walls would have contained thatched dwellings of mud and wattle and pens to safely herd livestock when there was danger from raiders. Stone forts are particularly common in Western I...

Located on the beautiful Ring of Kerry is Staigue Fort. It is not known for what the fort was used but Staigue Fort represents a considerable feat in engineering and construction. It was built without the use of mortar, using just stones placed at a slight angle, lower on the outside than the inside to allow water to run off.

Most famous of the great circular stone cashels, Staigue is also one of the best preserved and conveys a fair idea of how the larger Iron Age fortifications...

Two ringforts in neighbouring fields, each with a diameter of about 100 feet and each surrounded by a bank, about 6 feet high, outside which is a ditch.
It was in the one nearest the road that the Jacobean general St. Ruth died in battle against the Williamite forces on 12 July 1691.
The defeat brought an end to the hopes of James 11, and heralded one hundred of the blackest years in Irish history....

This is located opposite the entrance to Bishop Lucy Park.
The fountain was built in 1860 and named after Walter Berwick, a one time chairman of the Quarter sessions. It marks the centre point of a bridge crossing that which was once a city canal....

A focal point of the northern midlands where the provinces of Leinster, Ulster and Connaught all converge, Longford, where history and literature, tragedy and triumph are all woven together, takes its name from the ancient stronghold of the O'Farrell family (Long Fort - Fort of the O'Farrells).

Bordered to the West by the majestic River Shannon, Longford is a county of rolling plains and picturesque stretches of water. The highest pint of the county, Cairn Hill, is only 279 m high, bu...

Shortly after leaving Poulawack, the road joins the Leamaneh-Ballyvaughan road. Less than 1 km north, to the left of this road, is the stone fort of Caherconnell. This is a ring fort, strongly built, and fairly well preserved....

Pleasantly situated on a hill overlooking Lough Gara, this is a fine stone fort built of stones which get progressively smaller near the top. Inside are stairways leading to the ramparts, as well as a wall niche under one of the stairs. There are two souterrains in the interior. It was partially rebuilt in the 18th century....

This fort dates back to the Iron age and is a fascinating example of a promontory fort. There is a visitor centre which presents a ten minute audio visual display on the history of the fort....

The hollowed-out centre makes it difficult to define this monument as a motte, though it may be identical with the Kill Santain or Kilsandel built by John de Courcy towards the close of the 12th century as a place from which he made forays west of the Bann. Excavations at the foot of the monument close to the river produced 13th century pottery and a carbonised branch of 13th century date. To the east, on high ground, is a fenced off area where excavations in 1973-77 uncovered remnants of Meso...

Only remains of the earthen wall to suggest former fort, but a depression in the northwest portion reveals a low lintel stone over a small opening. Through the opening is an excellent example of a soutrerrain i.e. a manmade, subetrrain structure built for purposes of storage and protection in time of attack.

The Gortaboy Souterrain contains 3 spacious chambers, connected by two - traps - low crawl spaces designed to slow down anyone attempting to get inside....