Cashelmore

On top of a small conical knoll, in mature woodland within the Coolavin estate. A circular area (27m N-S; 27.3m E-W) enclosed by a substantial drystone wall (Wth 4.3m; int. H 2m; ext. H 2.5m) incorporating in its internal face flights of stairs, terracing, a mural chamber and a souterrain (SL046-034002-). The wall (Wth 5m) of roughly coursed sandstone slabs and blocks survives to a height of 2m with a maximum external height of 2.5m at N dictated by the steeper fall of ground on that side of the knoll. The lower courses of the external wall-face incorporate very large blocks of stone. A plain entrance passage (Wth 1.75m) with traces of stone paving extends through the wall at SE. Flanking the S side of the entrance is a flight of steps, beginning at a height of 0.7m above the base of the wall, leading to the top of the wall. At SSE a flight of steps rises to a narrow terrace or wall-walk (Wth 0.57m; 0.7m below top to wall) that follows the curve of the wall to SSW where it slopes down gently and ends in a short dilapidated series of steps. The wall-walk begins again almost immediately and continues to W ending in a paired arrangement of lateral steps. The N flight of the pair leads to a very short length of wall-walk ending in a second pair of stairs. At the base of the wall between the two pairs of stairs there is a low lintelled opening giving access to a mural passage or souterrain (SL046-034002-). There is another flight of steps to the top of the wall at NNW and paired flights at NE. Flanking the N side of the entrance a low lintelled opening (Wth 0.72m; H 0.55m; T1.1m) gives access to the S end of a lintelled mural chamber (L 3.15m N-S; Wth 0.85m; H 1.43m). The interior of the cashel is level and raised above the base of the wall. An opening to a second souterrain (SL046-034003-) occurs in the surface in the W half of the interior. A trench-like depression (Wth c. 1.5m; D 0.6m), contiguous with the internal wall-face, dug to the base of the wall, is continuous around the circuit of the interior, except for short breaks at SW and at W in the vicinity of the souterrains (SL046-034002-; SL046-034003-). According to Harbison (1992, 291), 'this fine stone fort ... was partially rebuilt in the 19th century'.

This is a National Monument in state care (no. 159).