'Cahergal' : Stone Fort
Visit Notes
Monday, 10th August 2009
cashel is, according to many, much over-restored. This may be so, but it is easily accessible and quite spectacular! The restored walls are very tall, towering impressively over you as you approach from the path to the monument. There is a well-defined batter to the outside face of the walls.
The entrance is on the south side. There is a gate in place now. There are to slabs set into the walls of the entrance passage that restrict its width.
The inner face of the outer walls have wonderful, narrow terraces, each connected by drystone steps. Obviously, it is not possible to know that the current arrangement of steps and terraces fully reflect the original layout. Using these steps it is possible to climb to the tops of the walls and walk around the perimeter, taking in the spectacular views.
In the centre of the cashel there is a circular structure that stands to a height of 2m or so. This is about 7m in diameter. Again, this hut has been restored to its present condition. It is believed that this hut had a corbelled roof.
The amazing thing about the reconstruction work done here after excavation in the 1990s is that it was seemingly done properly ... without mortar! Why couldn't they have done this at Cornacully (County Fermanagh) during recent restoration work?
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A Random Selection of Nearby Monuments
360.6 m (NNW) there is a Stone Fort at Kimego West known as Leacanabuaile.
8.5 Km (E) there is a Rock Art at Ballynahow Beg.
7.7 Km (S) there is a Tomb Shrine at Killoluaig.
A Selection of Other Stone Forts
 Rath Gael (Co. Wicklow) |  Ballynastaig (Co. Galway) |  Moheramoylan (Co. Clare) |
 City of Shrone (Co. Kerry) |  Caherconnell (Co. Clare) |  Cahermacnaghten (Co. Clare) |
About Coordinates Displayed
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This is an explanation of (and a bit of a disclaimer for) the coordinates I provide. Where a GPS figure is given this is the master for all other coordinates. According to my Garmin these are quite accurate. Where there is no GPS figure the 6 figure grid reference is master for the others. This may not be very accurate as it could have come from the OS maps and could have been read by eye. Consequently, all other cordinates are going to have inaccuracies. The calculation of Longitude and Latitude uses an algorithm that is not 100% accurate. The long/lat figures are used as a basis for calculating the UTM & ITM coordinates. Consequently, UTM & ITM coordinates are slightly out. UTM is a global coordinate system - Universal Transverse Mercator - that is at the core of the GPS system. ITM is the new coordinate system - Irish Transverse Mercator - that is more accurate and more GPS friendly than the Irish Grid Reference system. This will be used on the next generation of Irish OS maps. |
