County: Clare Site name: CLENAGH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 51:45 Licence number: 94E0039
Author: Aoife Daly and Eoin Grogan, The Discovery Programme
Site type: Hilltop enclosure
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 535964m, N 664742m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.729975, -8.948082
Clenagh hilltop enclosure is sited c. 5km south-west of Newmarket-on-Fergus on a drumlin top with a summit of 40m (132ft). The site is named 'Knockadoon' on the Ordnance Survey maps. A total of 10 weeks' work was carried out in 1994 by the North Munster Project, The Discovery Programme.
It was described by Westropp (1914–16, 65) who noted the linear bank in the south-west quadrant. There are extensive views over the Fergus estuary to the north and west and over the estuarine lowlands on the landward side. The summit of Mooghaun Hillfort is clearly visable c. 7.5km to the north-east. The drumlin ridge runs north-south with its summit at the northern end where the enclosure is located. There are steep slopes all around with the gentlest approach being on the west side of the hill. The hill is divided into large rectangular fields used mostly for pasture.
The site, roughly oval in plan (93m north-south, 75m east-west), has one enclosing element defining an almost level area on the western side (the summit of the ridge) with a steep slope running down to the east. The interior covers an area of 4,860m2.
The rampart consists of an earthen bank (covered with small trees and bushes) and a broad external ditch with a small external bank. The overall width of the rampart averages 10m. The internal bank averages 0.7m in height (1.8m above the base of the ditch). The ditch, which has a U-shaped profile, is 5m in average width. The outer bank, 2.5m wide, is c. 3m wide and 0.3–1.2m in height above the base of the ditch. The only internal features visible prior to excavation were a linear earthen bank close to the western side of the site and evidence of ridge and furrow cultivation.
A resistivity survey was carried out over the flat hilltop area. A substantial part of the enclosure was excavated. A system of ridge and furrow cultivation had been dug on the hill at some time in the past.
In the interior of the monument was a cairn which had been disturbed by later ridge and furrow cultivation. Scatters of burnt bone were found among the stones but no discrete deposit was found. To the north of the cairn habitation was indicated by postholes, but there was little evidence for associated material.
A cutting was opened across the enclosing banks and ditch. The banks had been built up on both (interior and exterior) sides of a deep, steep sided, V-shaped ditch. The fill of this ditch was a fairly homogenous redeposited till with animal bone occurring at varying depths throughout the fill.
13–15 Hatch St. Lower, Dublin 2
