2017:115 - Caherconnell Cashel, Clare

Caherconnell cashel is the largest of four drystone enclosures in the townland of the same name, in the Burren, Co. Clare. The cashel is circular with a diameter of 42m. It is defined by dry stone walls standing 3m in basal width and 3.6m in height (though they were probably higher originally). Its entrance, like that of most ringforts, faces east.

Today, the interior of the cashel is, on average, 0.75m above external ground level. A small number of features protrude above the modern grassy surface. These include a collapsed dry stone wall that divides the interior in two, the lower courses of an irregular-shaped stone structure built up against the inner face of the cashel on the west (Structure B), and the lower stone courses of a rectangular structure built inside the cashel wall on the north (Structure A). An international field school has been established to undertake research excavation of the cashel.

2017 Cutting H

The 2017 Caherconnell Archaeological Field School excavations concentrated on an area just inside the west wall of the cashel, immediately west of Cuttings E and G. This work identified several phases of activity, some associated with deliberately laid slab surfaces, structures, pathways and other features. Artefacts were numerous this season, including iron pins, tools, knives, nails, points, bronze dress-pins, strap end, bridle link, lead shot, silver ingot fragment, bone combs, pins, glass bead, clay mould and crucible sherds, whetstones, lithics, and quern fragments.

Identifying and dating the various phases of activity at Caherconnell cashel is an ongoing study, with every new radiocarbon date facilitating refinement of the chronological story. The dates obtained so far suggest the following:

PHASE 1: A small mound covering two cists (containing the remains of two juveniles and a woman 45+) was discovered in 2013. The cashel wall had been built over the top of it, with half of the mound inside the cashel interior, the other half beneath the cashel wall. Radiocarbon dated late 6th – early 7th century AD.

PHASE 2: A fire-pit quarried into the bedrock, discovered in 2011, produced a 7th-century AD date. This represents pre-cashel activity.

PHASE 3: This phase is marked by the levelling off of the uneven ground surface and the construction of Caherconnell cashel. The walls were largely built directly on bedrock, with some levelling material in places. Radiocarbon dates suggest a 10th-11th century date for this phase.

PHASE 4: Early occupation of the cashel, marked by a habitation layer, post-settings from 2013 and 2017, and a curvilinear house from 2014 and 2016, and a metalworking area in 2016. 2017 has added a probable metalworking structure/workshop. Radiocarbon dates suggest a 10th-11th-century date for this phase.

PHASE 5: Middle occupation of the cashel. A slab surface was laid down inside the cashel and occupation material accumulated on top of this. Radiocarbon dates suggest a 10th-11th-century date for this phase. A stone setting for a post and two burnt deposits were uncovered as part of this surface in 2013. In addition, 2014 produced a straight-walled house with hearth and associated deposits, three post-holes and a path leading to the house entrance. 2016 added a pathway and lengths of wall. 2017 saw the completion of the house excavation, and discovery of an external hearth.

PHASE 6: Late occupation of the cashel. Phase 6 saw the laying of a new slab surface, and the build up of occupation material on top of it. 2013 features include a hearth and two paths, 2014 and 2017 features include the continued use of the straight-walled house from Phase 5 and its entrance path, and a continuation of one of the paths from 2013. 2016 added a structure with internal hearth and secondary pit. 2017 excavation identified a possible small structure just inside the west wall of the cashel, complete with hearth and post-settings. Dates suggest 11th-14th century AD.

PHASE 7: This was the final phase of occupation within the cashel. A new entrance was inserted, and a rectangular house built inside the north wall of the cashel (Structure A). The straight walled house discovered in 2014 was demolished, with much of its stone probably used to build a wall dividing the cashel interior in two. 2014 also produced two linear features, similar to one discovered in 2013, possibly representing wall or palisade foundations inserted into underlying layers. The 2016 and 2017 cuttings were bisected by a strong wall dating to this phase, probably designed to separate the human and animal occupants of the cashel. It dates to the 15th-16th century, possibly into the start of the 17th.

PHASE 8: The final phase of activity includes post-occupation use of the cashel as an animal pen, collapse of structures and tumble of stone from parts of the cashel wall. A small pit discovered in 2014 also dates to this phase and may represent an attempt at animal-carcass burial. Phase 8 activity in 2016 included collapse from the Phase 7 wall, a new path over the top of the wall, the creation of a small clearance mound, and the digging of a pit down into the bedrock. A similar pit was excavated in 2017, in addition to some animal pens of early modern date. This phase dates from the 17th century to the early 20th century.

Archaeology, School of Geography and Archaeology, NUI, Galway