County: Galway Site name: Caherconnell
Sites and Monuments Record No.: CL009-030 (not marked) Licence number: 10E0119
Author: Michelle Comber
Site type: Enclosure
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 523567m, N 699365m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.039480, -9.139722
The third season of research excavation targeted new areas in the interior of a sub-square dry stone, cashel-like, enclosure in the townland of Caherconnell, the Burren, Co. Clare. A circular cashel lies 30–40m to the north (CL090-030-08), and the main cashel of Caherconnell another 50m or so north of that (CL009-030-10).
The enclosure is located on a narrow, level shelf, with slightly higher ground to the north and lower ground to the south. This site is within an archaeological complex on the RMP, but not specifically marked or numbered. It is a sub-square or slightly D-shaped drystone enclosure, with visible internal and external features. The walls of the enclosure are of limestone, comprising an internal and external face with slightly smaller stones forming the core, averaging 2.7m wide originally.
This particular site type has not previously been excavated. A number of such sites are known from across the Burren, however nothing is known of their chronology or function. From surface survey, they appear to form a ringfort/cashel sub-type. This particular sub-square enclosure forms part of an archaeologically rich landscape in and around the townland of Caherconnell.
Five hand-dug cuttings were excavated at the site, two adjoining cuttings in the northern third of the interior, one targeting the south-western corner of the enclosure wall, one located in the south of the enclosure interior, and one in the south-eastern corner of the enclosure interior. Features uncovered in the interior included possible wall lines, the continuation of Structure B (from 2010, Excavations 2010, No. 87) and secondary walls. Associated deposits were rich in faunal remains and a quantity of artefacts was also recovered. The artefacts included a quern fragment, whetstones, flint and chert, glass beads, lignite fragments, a bronze buckle, iron knives, objects and fragments.
Initial analysis, based on C14 dates from 2010 and recovered artefacts, indicates that the enclosure was used during the early medieval period (7th to 9th century AD), though the material culture contains a prehistoric element. Reasons for its non-circular shape, relatively large size and south-facing entrance are being explored. Did it have a different function, status or even cultural background to the more common circular enclosures?
Archaeology, School of Geography and Archaeology, NUI, Galway
