Corcomroe is a barony of County Clare, in the historical province of Munster (Irish: Corca Mrua), covering 250 km² of land. The barony records 722 NMS archaeological sites and 73 NIAH listed buildings, placing it at around the 78th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for sites per km². This means it is in the top third of all baronies for sites per km². Dated archaeological evidence runs from the Neolithic through to the Modern, spanning 8 of 9 archaeological periods, placing the barony in the 71st percentile among 280 ROI baronies for chronological depth. This means it is in the top third of all baronies for chronological depth. The largest dated subset of recorded sites dates to the Middle-Late Bronze Age. Logainm flags 44 placenames in the barony as carrying a recognised heritage root; the largest share — around 52% — are names associated with pre-christian defensive.
Heritage at a glance
Percentile rankings throughout this profile compare each barony only against the other 279 Republic of Ireland baronies.
The recorded heritage of Corcomroe
The National Monuments Service Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) is the statutory inventory of archaeological sites for the Republic of Ireland, maintained by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Sites recorded here include earthworks, ringforts, megalithic tombs, ecclesiastical remains, and post-medieval features; not every record is legally protected, but each is registered as a monument of archaeological interest.
The National Monuments Service records 722 archaeological sites in Corcomroe, putting it at the 78th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for sites per km². This means it is in the top third of all baronies for sites per km². Protection coverage is near-universal — 707 sites (98%) fall within a recorded monument protection zone, indicating an extensively surveyed landscape. The dominant category is defensive sites — ringforts, enclosures, hillforts, and stone forts (441 sites, 61% of the record). The most diagnostically specific type is Ringfort – cashel (125 records, 17% of the barony's NMS total) — compared to an ROI average of 5% across all baronies where this type occurs. Ringfort – cashel is the stone-walled equivalent of the rath, found mainly in upland or western areas, broadly dated 500–1000 AD. The broader 'Enclosure' classification — which catches unclassified ringforts and field enclosures — accounts for a further 138 records (19%) and reflects the difficulty of sub-classifying degraded earthworks from surface evidence alone. Other significant types include Ringfort – rath (111) — an earthen ringfort enclosed by a bank and external ditch — the most common Early Medieval farmstead, broadly dated 500–1000 AD. Across the barony's 250 km², this gives a recorded density of 2.89 sites per km².
Most common monument types
Hover or tap a monument type to see its definition.
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| Enclosure a banked or ditched feature of uncertain type, used as a catch-all where the original function cannot be determined from surface evidence | 138 |
| Ringfort – cashel the stone-walled equivalent of the rath, found mainly in upland or western areas, broadly dated 500–1000 AD | 125 |
| Ringfort – rath an earthen ringfort enclosed by a bank and external ditch — the most common Early Medieval farmstead, broadly dated 500–1000 AD | 111 |
| House – indeterminate date a habitation building whose date cannot be determined from available evidence | 30 |
| Souterrain an underground stone-built passage and chamber, generally Early Medieval and often associated with ringforts as a defensive or storage feature | 24 |
| Barrow – ring-barrow a Bronze/Iron Age burial monument: a low circular area enclosed by ditch and outer bank | 24 |
| Ritual site – holy well a well or spring traditionally associated with a saint, often credited with healing properties; many trace earlier ritual origins but devotion is documented from the medieval period onwards | 17 |
| Hut site a low stone or earthen foundation enclosing a small circular or oval area, generally interpreted as a former dwelling, of any date from prehistory to the medieval period | 15 |
Chronological distribution
The dated archaeological record for Corcomroe spans from the Neolithic through to the Modern, with activity attested across 8 of 9 archaeological periods. This is the 71st percentile across ROI baronies for chronological depth — an above-average span. Every period from earliest to latest is represented in the record — an unbroken sequence of dated activity across the full chronological span. Activity concentrates most heavily in the Middle Late Bronze Age (193 sites, 30% of dated material), with the Early Medieval forming a secondary peak (172 sites, 27%). A further 77 recorded sites (11% of the overall NMS register for the barony) carry no period attribution — appearing as 'Unknown' in the bar chart below. This typically reflects either records that pre-date the standardised period vocabulary or sites awaiting specialist dating review, rather than a genuine absence of chronological evidence.
Sample of recorded monuments
Show 25 sample monuments (of 722 total)
A representative sample of 25 recorded monuments drawn from the barony’s 722 total NMS entries. Sites within a recorded monument protection zone and rarer site types are prioritised so the list shows a meaningful cross-section rather than only the most common type. Each entry shows the official Sites and Monuments Record reference number and the description published by the National Monuments Service.
Promontory fort – inland
On a high limestone SW-facing headland with an equally high cliff 25m to the E, with excellent views from S to NW and within an extensive field system (CL004-027001-). Described by Westropp (1905, 207; 1905, 345) as…
On a high limestone SW-facing headland with an equally high cliff 25m to the E, with excellent views from S to NW and within an extensive field system (CL004-027001-). Described by Westropp (1905, 207; 1905, 345) as ‘the great inland promontory fort of Doonaunmore’ with ‘its strange "farbreag" or detached pinnacle near the southern end’ and named ‘Dúnán Mór promontory fort’ on Robinson’s (1977) map. A subrectangular area (176m NE-SW; c. 90m NW-SE), defined across the neck of the headland at NE by a double-faced wall that curves outwards and is most substantial towards the middle (max. Wth 5.4m; H 2.4-2.7m). In general, the facing survives best externally. The N end of this wall is less substantial (Wth 0.8m; int. H 0.8-1.7m; ext. H 1.4-2m). A stone spread (Wth 2.5-4m; H 0.8-1m) defines the SE side of the promontory and at SW and W there are natural cliff edges. Westropp (1905, 346) noted an internal terrace (Wth 0.91m; H 1.5m) and one, if not two, vertical joints on the exterior. The interior rises in a stepped fashion and is c. 10-14m above the outer ground level. A hut site (CL004-051002-) abuts the inside of the NE wall. Several other huts are illustrated along this wall by Westropp (1905, 349) but were no longer clearly visible on inspection in 1998 and are not visible on Digital Globe. A slab wall extends north from the promontory and then turns NW, where c. 150m away it meets a small field system of potential antiquity. A later field wall extends from the promontory…
Megalithic structure
Within a cashel (CL004-056001-) and described by Westropp (1905, 347) as located ‘In the bottom of the hollow’ …’A north slab enclosure, nearly square, two north slabs leaving a gap between them; a large block to each…
Within a cashel (CL004-056001-) and described by Westropp (1905, 347) as located ‘In the bottom of the hollow’ …’A north slab enclosure, nearly square, two north slabs leaving a gap between them; a large block to each side, and four in a row to the south; the space measures 6 feet 8 inches north and south, but the sides are now disturbed.’. Referred to by Westropp as ‘Tuam’ and depicted as within the cashel on his plan (1905, 344).
On field inspection in 1998 there was no trace of a megalithic structure. A rough alignment of stones orientated NE-SW was visible within the cashel but was considered of dubious antiquity. In the NW extent of the cashel a natural hollow may be the hollow which is referred to by Westropp (1905, 347) as the location of the ‘giant’s grave’. An enclosure (CL004-055003-) is located c. 85m to the SSE.
Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Lynda McCormack
Date of upload: 28 September 2022
Cave
On a S-facing limestone escarpment which forms a vertical rockface (H 30m) and within a large field system (CL004-027001-). The cave entrance is high up on the cliff face (H 4m) and has extensive views but is difficult…
On a S-facing limestone escarpment which forms a vertical rockface (H 30m) and within a large field system (CL004-027001-). The cave entrance is high up on the cliff face (H 4m) and has extensive views but is difficult to find. The cave is identified as ‘Robber’s Den’ and is one of eight caves within this escarpment (Anderson and McCarthy 1991).
Robber’s Den cave was first explored in 1935 by an English caving group and its importance was confirmed in 1963 when members of the Chelsea Speleological Society carried out an excavation which identified human and animal bones (Pick and Bartlett 1936; Mantle 1963). In 1989, members of the Cork Speleological Group discovered an entrance to an additional third chamber. Human bones and two stone rings were found on the floor of the third chamber and this lead to the excavation of the second and third chambers by archaeologists from UCC (Cremin 1991, 8; Anderson and McCarthy 1991).
The cave comprises a linear entrance chamber (L 5m NE-SW) from which a narrow gap in the NE extent leads to a lower (D 2m) rectangular second chamber (L 3.5m; Wth 1.5m). The second chamber slopes from W to E and a crevice (Wth 0.5m; L 3m) in the N wall leads to the lower third chamber which is prone to intermittent flooding. The floor of the third chamber is covered in rocks which have collapsed from the roof and sides of the cave and have reduced the height of the chamber (H 1m). The disturbed bones of an adult female were found in the third chambe…
Megalithic tomb – court tomb
In a slight hollow in an area of limestone pavement, overgrowth and rough pasture, within a large multiperiod field system (CL008-109001-). Marked and labelled 'court cairn' on Robinson's (1977) map. This court tomb (c.…
In a slight hollow in an area of limestone pavement, overgrowth and rough pasture, within a large multiperiod field system (CL008-109001-). Marked and labelled 'court cairn' on Robinson's (1977) map. This court tomb (c. 10m N-S; c. 5m E-W) comprises a probable two-chambered gallery accessed from the N through a semicircular court, and surrounded by several overgrown piles of rubble. The access court (int. dims. 4.8m E-W; 4.2m N-S) is open at the N and defined by upright limestone slabs (av. H 1.1m). The N end of the court is obscured by; on the W by an overgrown pile of slabs and on the E by a modern drystone wall. In the centre of the court's S side there is a gap (Wth 0.52m) between two uprights, providing access to the rectangular, N chamber (int. dims. 2.8m N-S; 2m E-W) of the tomb gallery. This is also defined by upright limestone slabs: four sidestones (two at E and two at W), and two uprights at the S. Between these S endstones there is a gap (Wth 0.4m) which may be the entrance to a second chamber to the S, represented by a single E sidestone (L 2.3m). There is an overgrown pile of rubble where this second chamber's W sidestone may have stood, while an E-W running modern wall immediately to the S may have damaged the chamber's S end. There is an enclosure (CL008-002002-) c. 75m to the E.
See attachments:
CL008-002001-_01.jpg Sketch plan, not to scale.
CL008-002002-_02.jpg Photo from N.
CL008-002003-_02.jpg Photo from E.
CL008-002004-_02.jpg Photo from S.
CL00…
Settlement cluster
On a dynamic, SSW-facing storm beach and in proximity to a prehistoric axe factory (CL008A010—-). Noted in February 2008 by Mr Simon Large, former Clare County Archaeologist (RIP) and described as several wall…
On a dynamic, SSW-facing storm beach and in proximity to a prehistoric axe factory (CL008A010—-). Noted in February 2008 by Mr Simon Large, former Clare County Archaeologist (RIP) and described as several wall structures visible in section in the truncated (by storm action) face of a sand dune and interpreted as field divisions indicative of possible early settlement in the area.
The features, by turn obscured and/or eroded out by recurring storm action, occur at a significantly higher level within the dune system than the axe factory (pers. comm. Mr Michael Lynch).
Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy
Date of upload: 10 January 2023
Cist
The Archaeological Survey of Ireland (ASI) is in the process of providing information on all monuments on The Historic Environment Viewer (HEV). Currently the information for this record has not been uploaded. To…
The Archaeological Survey of Ireland (ASI) is in the process of providing information on all monuments on The Historic Environment Viewer (HEV). Currently the information for this record has not been uploaded. To access available information for research purposes please make an appointment in advance with the Archive Unit (open Fridays 10.00 am – 5.00 pm), Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, The Custom House, Dublin 1 D01W6XO or email nmarchive@chg.gov.ie.
Slab-lined burial
On undulating land in pasture at the SE foot of a low hill, with a SW-flowing stream just to the N. Within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-059001-) and a local field system (CL009-249—-). Discovered by the…
On undulating land in pasture at the SE foot of a low hill, with a SW-flowing stream just to the N. Within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-059001-) and a local field system (CL009-249—-). Discovered by the landowner in 1988, rescue excavated by Mary Cahill (Bennett 1989, 9; Cahill 2011; Ó Donnabháin 2011) and subsequently covered with earth. Listed as ‘Lintelled grave’ in the RMP (1996). This slab-lined burial (int. dims. 1.75m E-W; 0.35-0.4m N-S; H 0.25m) is a long rectangular stone cist, oriented E-W, carefully constructed of large limestone slabs and containing the skeletal remains of an adult human male. The long sides of the cist are quite symmetrical; each comprises two stones, one long (max. L 1.25m; H c. 0.28m; T 0.13m) and one short (L c. 0.5m), with the long stones set opposite each other at the W end. The W end of the cist is lined by two stones (L c. 0.3m), and the E by one stone (L c. 0.55m). The cist was covered by six well-fitted lintels (L 0.4-0.75m; Wth 0.3-0.4m), two of which overlapped slightly. A number of smaller stones leaned against and supported the outside edges of the lintels at E-N, with other packing stones placed in interstices. Fitting tightly within the cist were the articulated and well-preserved skeletal remains of an adult male (est. 25-35 years old), placed in an extended supine position with head at the W, arms extended by the sides, and feet close together (Cahill 2011; Ó Donnabháin 2011). This suggested that the body was prob…
House – 17th century
On a narrow level shelf in the E slope of a low rise, in pasture and trees within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-059001-). Depicted as a roughly T-shaped house and labelled ‘Ballykeel Ho. (in ruins)’ on the…
On a narrow level shelf in the E slope of a low rise, in pasture and trees within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-059001-). Depicted as a roughly T-shaped house and labelled ‘Ballykeel Ho. (in ruins)’ on the 1842 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. By the time of the OS 25-inch plan (1897), only a step-shaped length of walling is shown. Indicated and labelled ‘Cabhail Bhetty’ on Robinson’s map (1977). All that survives is a step-shaped length of walling (H 3-4m; Wth 0.7-0.75m) built of coursed rubble masonry. A number of features are visible in the longest section (L 10m), which runs E-W. Moving from W these include: a wall cupboard (H 0.7m; L 1.26m; D 0.45m), robbed out at its W end, a rectangular window (H 0.45m; Wth 0.3m), a window embrasure (H 0.9m; int. Wth 0.65m; ext. Wth 0.4m), a blocked ope/doorway? (H 1.15m; int. Wth 1.1m) and another window embrasure (H 1.4m; int. Wth 0.7m; ext. Wth 0.48m), blocked externally. A later drystone wall extends to the N off the broken E end of this section. At the W end of it, the wall turns N (L 4.5m) and then W (L 2.6m). The window embrasures suggest that the house was possibly of 17th-century date. A slab-lined burial (CL009-090001-) lies c. 90m to the SW.
Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Conn Herriott
Date of upload: 24 May 2022
Religious house – Augustinian canons
On a low but prominent rise in rolling pasture and marshy scrub, within a graveyard (CL015-027002-). Indicated and named ‘Kilshanny Church (in ruins)’ on the 1840 and 1916 OS 6-inch maps. A church is said to have been…
On a low but prominent rise in rolling pasture and marshy scrub, within a graveyard (CL015-027002-). Indicated and named ‘Kilshanny Church (in ruins)’ on the 1840 and 1916 OS 6-inch maps. A church is said to have been founded in Kilshanny by the 7th-century St Cuana, who Westropp (1900, 280) suggests can be identified with Mochonna of Feakle and Kilquane. While early scholars (Frost 1893, 109; Westropp 1900-1902, 136) asserted that it was a daughterhouse of the Cistercian abbey of Corcomroe, Mac Mahon (1990, 28) has established that the connection with the Cistercians is spurious and that the site is an Augustinian foundation. He traces its connection to the Augustinians with a grant of land in 1189 by King Donal Mór O’Brien to the Augustinian canons at Clareabbey (ibid.). Kilshanny was dedicated to Our Lady and St. Augustine (Mac Mahon 1993). In 1273 the abbot of Kilshanny, Florence O’Tighearnaigh, became Bishop of Kilfenora (Gwynne and Hadcock 1970, 184; Swinfen 1992, 82). The church is listed in the Ecclesiastical Taxation lists 1302-7 (Mac Mahon 2018), where it was valued at 26s 8d. At the dissolution of the monasteries Kilshanny was granted to Murrough O’Brien, first Earl of Thomond (Mac Mahon 1990, 29) and the site remained within various branches throughout the 17th and 18th centuries (ibid.). In 1621 Dermot O’Brien, 5th baron Inchiquin, made a grant to ‘Honora Ni Brien alias Wingfield’ of Smithstown of ‘the abbey and cloister of Kilshanny, with the old ruinous wall…
Stone head
This record is for the original location of a carved stone head found in 1971 beside Tobarlonane holy well (CL015-059005-) adjacent to a large ecclesiastical enclosure (CL015-059001-). The head was carved in relief on…
This record is for the original location of a carved stone head found in 1971 beside Tobarlonane holy well (CL015-059005-) adjacent to a large ecclesiastical enclosure (CL015-059001-). The head was carved in relief on one side of a trapezoidal limestone block. The face is oval with eyes, ears, eyebrows, mouth, nose, and hairline depicted. Swan (1987, 165) has drawn comparisons with Irish Romanesque stone heads, suggesting a 12th century date. He argues that the stone originated as an architectural element, probably a voussoir. Its location at the holy well was secondary and it was probably taken there from the rubble of the adjacent medieval church (CL015-059002-) as an object of veneration. The present location is in the National Museum of Ireland (DU018-160—-) and a replica has been placed at the well.
Reference:
Swan, L 1987 A carved stone head from Killaspuglonane, Co. Clare. In Rynne, E. (ed.) Figures from the past: studies on figurative art in Christian Ireland, 159-67. Glendale Press. Dublin.
Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Eve Campbell
Date of upload: 11 July 2023
Hilltop enclosure
At the E end of a shale ridge with wide views across the Burren SW-E and higher ground to SE. Hachured and named ‘Doon Fort’ on the 1840 and 1916 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. Listed as ‘Cashel’ in the RMP (1996).…
At the E end of a shale ridge with wide views across the Burren SW-E and higher ground to SE. Hachured and named ‘Doon Fort’ on the 1840 and 1916 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. Listed as ‘Cashel’ in the RMP (1996). Described by Westropp (1897, 126; 1900, 403; 1900-1902, 445) as ‘pear shaped’ with ‘a well-cut fosse’, ‘three entrances’ and with ‘a flight of rock-cut steps’. Also described by Westropp (1915, 256 and 264) as one in a ‘linear arrangement of forts’ and along with the forts extending W from Kilfenora, Doon fort is described as ‘featureless’ ‘the majority of earth, sometimes with the remains of stone facing’.
A pear-shaped fort (L c. 118m; Wth c. 118m) defined by a partially overgrown earthen bank (Wth 9-14m; ext. H 3-3.5m; int. H 1.2-1.8m) from S to W and from WNW to NW with some stone facing and by a scarp (H 2.6-5m) elsewhere. An external fosse (also partially overgrown) is best preserved at W where it is flat-bottomed (Wth of base 4m; ext. D 1.3m). At S the fosse peters out and is round-bottomed (Wth of base 3m; ext. D 0.6m). At E, shale bedrock was cut in antiquity to form a horizontal ledge (Wth 1-2m; H 1m) which may extend to the N but is unconfirmed.
Three entrances were recorded by Westropp (1897, 126; 1900-02), two in the W and one in the E. One of the W entrances had ‘a mound crossing the fosse’ which may have been a causeway (Westropp 1900, 445). The other W entrance (Wth 8m) had a sunken section (Wth 3.8m; D 0.2-0.4m) at the centre and may have had ‘a…
Kiln – lime
Built into a S-facing slope outside the S wall of the bawn (CL016-011002-) surrounding Caislean A’Mhagaigh tower house (CL016-011001-). A corbelled limekiln (H c. 1.2m; Wth c. 3m) constructed of undressed limestone. It…
Built into a S-facing slope outside the S wall of the bawn (CL016-011002-) surrounding Caislean A’Mhagaigh tower house (CL016-011001-). A corbelled limekiln (H c. 1.2m; Wth c. 3m) constructed of undressed limestone. It may be contemporary with the adjacent poorly preserved tower house (CL016-011001-). (Breen and Ua Cróinín 1997).
The following image has been uploaded:
CL016-011003-_01.jpg View of limekiln from S with bawn wall behind.
Compiled by: Mary Tunney
Date of upload: 1 February 2022
Cathedral
Situated in Kilfenora Village within a graveyard (CL016-015003-) in an area of gently undulating pasture with the land falling away to the N. Named 'Cathedral (in ruins) on site of Abbey' on 1916 OS 6-inch OS map.…
Situated in Kilfenora Village within a graveyard (CL016-015003-) in an area of gently undulating pasture with the land falling away to the N. Named 'Cathedral (in ruins) on site of Abbey' on 1916 OS 6-inch OS map. Kilfenora (Cell Fhinnabrach) is the cathedral church of a small diocese, granted diocesan status in 1152 at the synod of Kells, affiliated with the diocese of Limerick since 1976 having been previously affiliated to Killaloe (1752-1976), Clonfert (1742-52) and Limerick (1606-7) (O’Neill 2012-13, 199). An early church is said to have been founded here by St. Fachnan in the 6th century (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 58). The earliest reference in the annals is in 1055 when Murchad O’Brien was attacked in Corcomroe and the church of Finnabrach was burned (ibid., 83). It is not clear if any of the fabric of that church is incorporated in the present church. A plan by James Pain in the 1830’s shows thicker walls at the E end of the nave than the rest of the building which may reflect the incorporation of an older structure (O’Neill 2012-13, 199). According to Ó Carragáin (2010, 133) the lintel of the 11th-century church lies ex situ against the N wall of the chancel with a pair of square sockets for the vertical posts of the door frame carved into its underside. The chancel dates to the beginning of the 13th century with some 15th century windows in the S wall.
The nave is difficult to date. The chancel arch was blocked up and a window inserted in the 1840s when the nave…
Barrow – ditch barrow
On a shelf on a S-facing slope, in rough pasture, overlooking a valley. A circular ring-barrow defined by a slightly domed central platform (18.7m E-W; 18.5m N-S; H 0.1-0.3m; max. est. H 0.6m), an intervening fosse (Wth…
On a shelf on a S-facing slope, in rough pasture, overlooking a valley. A circular ring-barrow defined by a slightly domed central platform (18.7m E-W; 18.5m N-S; H 0.1-0.3m; max. est. H 0.6m), an intervening fosse (Wth 1.2-1.6m) that is overgrown with rushes and an outer bank (Wth 3-3.5m, int. H 0.1-0.3m, ext. H 0.05-0.1m). Drains cut across the bank at SSE and WNW, and a field wall adjoins it at ENE. The monument is clearly visible on OSi Ortho_ITM (2005) aerial imagery.
Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Lynda McCormack
Date of upload: 5 August 2022
Headstone
Outside the junction of the nave and transept of Killilagh Church (CL008-063001-). A headstone with a date of 1630 and a Latin inscription (pers. comm. Simon Large, SMR file).
Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn…
Outside the junction of the nave and transept of Killilagh Church (CL008-063001-). A headstone with a date of 1630 and a Latin inscription (pers. comm. Simon Large, SMR file).
Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott
Date of upload: 16 January 2023
Inscribed stone (present location)
A plaque recording the erection of the ‘castle’ (CL008-050001-) at Lisdoonvarna in 1619 by Fineen FitzPatrick was formerly built into a building near the site of the castle (CL008-050004-). It was moved in the 20th…
A plaque recording the erection of the ‘castle’ (CL008-050001-) at Lisdoonvarna in 1619 by Fineen FitzPatrick was formerly built into a building near the site of the castle (CL008-050004-). It was moved in the 20th century to Ennistymon where it has been set into a boundary wall on the W side of Bogbere Street. The inscription reads: FININFICTE PATRICKE. ME FECIT. 1619 DENIS. CLOCHE which may be translated as Fineen FitzPatrick had me made 1619. Denis Cloche which is almost certainly the ancient form of the surname ‘Clohessy’. The letters are false relief in a script of late gothic character that was used by masons well into the 17th century.
Compiled by: Paul Walsh
Date of upload: 2 April 2014
Bullaun stone
The Archaeological Survey of Ireland (ASI) is in the process of providing information on all monuments on The Historic Environment Viewer (HEV). Currently the information for this record has not been uploaded. To…
The Archaeological Survey of Ireland (ASI) is in the process of providing information on all monuments on The Historic Environment Viewer (HEV). Currently the information for this record has not been uploaded. To access available information for research purposes please make an appointment in advance with the Archive Unit (open Fridays 10.00 am – 5.00 pm), Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, The Custom House, Dublin 1 D01W6XO or email nmarchive@chg.gov.ie.
Tomb – chest tomb
Mounted on the S wall within the chancel of Kilfenora cathedral (CL016-015002-). Four panels from a chest tomb with an inscription in relief in large capitals commemorating William Magencharig i(?) and his wife…
Mounted on the S wall within the chancel of Kilfenora cathedral (CL016-015002-). Four panels from a chest tomb with an inscription in relief in large capitals commemorating William Magencharig i(?) and his wife Elizabeth. The tomb is dated 1650. (Barry 1892, 40)
CL016-015018-_01.jpg attached.
Compiled by: Mary Tunney
Date of upload: 1 September 2014
Axe factory
On a SSW-facing storm beach. Storms in 2013/14 revealed shale flakes and axe roughouts in a clay layer beneath the sand at high tide level. Three trenches and one test trench were excavated in the area in 2015 following…
On a SSW-facing storm beach. Storms in 2013/14 revealed shale flakes and axe roughouts in a clay layer beneath the sand at high tide level. Three trenches and one test trench were excavated in the area in 2015 following a monitoring and survey programme (Licence No. 15E0145). Trench 1 produced a large amount of shale flakes along with four concentrated lithic deposits which were the result of knapping stone axe roughouts. The lithics in Trench 2 were more dispersed although some axe roughouts were found. Some large blades from struck cobbles suggest alternative tool production. Trench 3 was notable for the high proportion of hammer stones found with roughouts and flakes. Charcoal, bone and shell samples will allow radiocarbon dating of the various activities on the site. It is likely given the excavation results that the manufacture of axes and other tools is spread over a large area at this location. (Lynch, M. 2015; Lynch, M. 2015a)
Compiled by: Mary Tunney
Date of upload: 28 June 2016
Rock art
Situated on a raised area of outcropping rock in pasture, close to a townland boundary. A subtriangular earthfast stone (L 1m N-S; Wth 0.25-0.65m; H 0.6-0.85m) with cup and circle motifs on the top, E and S faces. The…
Situated on a raised area of outcropping rock in pasture, close to a townland boundary. A subtriangular earthfast stone (L 1m N-S; Wth 0.25-0.65m; H 0.6-0.85m) with cup and circle motifs on the top, E and S faces. The rock is covered in lichen and moss but the carvings are mostly in good condition. They are deeply incised into the stone creating a pronounced three-dimensional effect with motif’s draped across the edge between the top and the E face. The top has two cup motifs and 6 cup and circle motifs (diams. 0.15-0.2m), the E face has 7 cup and circle motifs (diam. 0.15m) and the S face has 2 definite cup and circle motifs (diam. 0.15m), one possible circle and some possible ‘pock marks’. (pers. comm. Melanie McQuade, 19 December 2016)
Compiled by: Mary Tunney with information supplied by Melanie McQuade, Forest Service.
Date of upload: 19 December 2016
Burnt mound
Situated on a slightly raised area in lowlying wet grassland. A burnt mound identified during excavation of drains for forest development was reported to the National Monuments Service by the Forest Service in March…
Situated on a slightly raised area in lowlying wet grassland. A burnt mound identified during excavation of drains for forest development was reported to the National Monuments Service by the Forest Service in March 2017. It comprised blackish charcoal-rich soil with frequent inclusions of burnt stone. The extent of the mound could not be precisely determined (c. 4m E-W; c. 2.5m N-S). The drain cutting through the mound was backfilled at the time of inspection. An exclusion zone around it was left unplanted.
Compiled by: Mary Tunney
Date of upload: 29 March 2017
Cross – Churchyard cross
The Archaeological Survey of Ireland (ASI) is in the process of providing information on all monuments on The Historic Environment Viewer (HEV). Currently the information for this record has not been uploaded. To access…
The Archaeological Survey of Ireland (ASI) is in the process of providing information on all monuments on The Historic Environment Viewer (HEV). Currently the information for this record has not been uploaded. To access available information for research purposes please make an appointment in advance with the Archive Unit (open Fridays 10.00 am – 5.00 pm), Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, The Custom House, Dublin 1 D01W6XO or email nmarchive@chg.gov.ie.
Megalithic tomb – unclassified
In a hollow in undulating landscape with cliffs (H c. 10m) overlooking the site c. 0.3-0.5m to the NE. The road is c. 30m to the W and a limestone erratic named ‘Cloch Bharr an Choinín’ on Robinson’s map (1977) is…
In a hollow in undulating landscape with cliffs (H c. 10m) overlooking the site c. 0.3-0.5m to the NE. The road is c. 30m to the W and a limestone erratic named ‘Cloch Bharr an Choinín’ on Robinson’s map (1977) is located c. 55m to the NNW.
A poorly preserved, rectangular cist with an E-W aligned chamber (int. dims. 3.85m E-W; 1.8m N-S) surrounded by a low cairn visible through the sod extending 2.8m to the N of the cist and 2.2m to the S. A gap (Wth 0.76m; L 0.45-0.55m) framed by two E-W aligned stones at W may be an entrance. The S side comprises three large stones (L 0.8-1.7m; H 0.6m), two of which lean inwards, with a fourth stone (L 0.65m) aligned NW-SE angled towards the potential entrance at W. The N side of the chamber comprises four stones of various lengths (0.12-1m) with two large gaps (L 0.7-1.2m) towards the W where stones may have been removed. The interior is slightly lower than the exterior and all the stones (int. H 0.1-0.3m) are generally flush with the ground outside or rise slightly over it. An area has been dug out at SE revealing an internal height of 0.6m for the most easterly stone on the S side. There are two stones (L 0.7m and 0.5m), aligned E-W towards the centre of the interior. A fulacht fia (CL004-085002-) is located c. 60m to the ESE.
The following image has been uploaded:
CL004-085—-_01.jpg View from E
Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Lynda McCormack
Date of upload: 13 June 2022
Barrow – stepped barrow
On the upper SSW-facing slope of an E-W ridge in pasture, with higher ground from NW-N but wide views in all other directions. Hachured and labelled 'Lislard' on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. Listed as…
On the upper SSW-facing slope of an E-W ridge in pasture, with higher ground from NW-N but wide views in all other directions. Hachured and labelled 'Lislard' on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. Listed as 'Barrow' in the RMP (1996). This stepped barrow, the NE quadrant of which is overgrown by gorse, comprises a flat-topped circular mound (base diam. 7.7m; diam. at top 3.1-3.2m; H 0.95-1.1m) centrally located on an almost circular platform (base 18.7m N-S; 18.5m WNW-ESE; top 14.2-14.5m; H 1.15-1.35m), which is surrounded by a flat-based rush-covered fosse (Wth at base 2.5-3.5m; Wth at top 7.5m) and a steep-sided outer bank (base Wth 5.5-7.2m; int. H 1-1.35m; ext. H 0.5-1.1m). The latter is generally round-topped except from N-SE (Wth 3.2m) where a pathway runs on top of it. Traces of an outer fosse (Wth 6.6m; D 0.1) are evident from WNW-NW; it may continue from N-NE but dense gorse here hides the outer edge of the bank. There is a bowl-barrow (CL008-034—-) c. 126m to the WNW, and a mound (CL008-035—-) c. 212m to the ENE. (Westropp 1915, 57)
The following images have been uploaded:
CL008-034—-_01.jpg View from N
CL008-034—-_02.jpg View from NW
Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Conn Herriott
Date of upload: 26 September 2022
Enclosure
Situated in an exposed, lowlying area. Listed as ‘Cashel’ in the SMR (1992) and the RMP (1996). Possibly referred to by Westropp (1905, 345, 353) as one of ‘seven or eight defaced forts at a place called Shanbally in…
Situated in an exposed, lowlying area. Listed as ‘Cashel’ in the SMR (1992) and the RMP (1996). Possibly referred to by Westropp (1905, 345, 353) as one of ‘seven or eight defaced forts at a place called Shanbally in Ballyryan’. On inspection in 1998 this was found to be a subcircular enclosure (diam. 25m) defined by a poor, modern, loosely built wall with no facing or stone spread. There are traces of a low irregular stone enclosure in the N portion of the interior and a rectangular walled area abuts the exterior at E.
Compiled by: Mary Tunney
Date of upload: 18 January 2016
Listed buildings
The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) is a state survey appraising buildings of architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social, or technical interest. Each surveyed structure receives a rating from International (the highest, for buildings of European importance) through National, Regional, Local, and Record-Only.
The NIAH records 73 listed buildings in Corcomroe (39th percentile across ROI baronies). Among these, 5 are graded National — buildings of interest to the whole of Ireland rather than only its region. The Republic holds 937 National-graded buildings in total, so this barony accounts for around 1% of the national total. Construction dates concentrate most heavily in the Victorian (1830-1900) period. The most-recorded building type is house (37 examples, 51% of the listed stock).
Terrain and environment
Mean elevation across the barony is 78m — the 40th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for elevation. This means it is in the lower half of all baronies for elevation. Elevation matters for heritage because higher-altitude baronies typically favour defensive monuments — ringforts and hilltop forts placed on prominent ground — while lowland baronies are more likely to carry the dense settlement and church networks of intensive agricultural landscapes. The barony reaches 287m at its highest point — a vertical span of more than 208m within its boundary, indicating significant topographic diversity. Mean slope is 4.4° — the 67th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for slope. This means it is in the top third of all baronies for slope. Slope is a key control on both land use and archaeological preservation: steep ground resists ploughing and tends to preserve earthworks intact, while gentle slopes favour intensive cultivation that damages or destroys surface archaeology over time. The Topographic Wetness Index averages 10.3, the 31st percentile among 280 ROI baronies for wetness. This means it is in the bottom third of all baronies for wetness. Drainage matters for heritage because poorly-drained ground preserves organic archaeology (wooden trackways, leather, textiles, and on rare occasions human remains) far better than free-draining soil; well-drained ground favours arable use but destroys organic material rapidly. The land cover is dominated by improved grassland (83%) and woodland (15%).
Terrain measurements
Where this barony sits in the Republic of Ireland
Geology and preservation
Bedrock geology shapes the landscape long before any settlement begins — controlling soil drainage, agricultural potential, the survival of upstanding monuments, and the preservation of buried archaeology. The figures below come from the Geological Survey Ireland 1:100,000 bedrock map.
The bedrock underlying Corcomroe is predominantly siltstone (42% of the barony by area), laid down during the Carboniferous period (100% by area, around 359 to 299 million years ago). Siltstone weathers to fertile, moderately heavy soils that supported Early Medieval ringfort agriculture, often interbedded with mudstone in lowland landscapes. A substantial secondary geology of mudstone, siltstone, sandstone (41%) and limestone (11%) adds further variety to the underlying landscape. The single largest mapped unit is the Gull Island Formation (42% of the barony's bedrock).
Rock type composition
Largest mapped unit: Gull Island Formation (42% of the barony)
Placename evidence
Logainm records 44 heritage-diagnostic placenames for Corcomroe, drawn from townland and civil-parish names across the barony. The dominant stratum is pre-Christian and Early Medieval defensive — ráth-, lios-, dún-, and caiseal-prefixed names that mark Iron Age and early historic settlement. The leading diagnostic roots are cill- (16 — church), lios- (8 — ringfort or enclosure), and caiseal- (8 — stone ringfort). This is above the ROI average of 30.7 heritage placenames per barony. The presence of multiple heritage strata side by side indicates layered occupation of the landscape across successive prehistoric and historic periods. Logainm records 239 placenames for Corcomroe (predominantly townland names). Of these, 44 (18%) carry one of the diagnostic Gaelic roots tracked above; the remainder draw on more generic landscape vocabulary that does not encode a heritage period.
Pre-Christian / Early Medieval Defensive
| Root | Count | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| lios- | 8 | ringfort or enclosure |
| caiseal- | 8 | stone ringfort |
| cathair- | 4 | stone fort |
| dún- | 3 | hilltop or promontory fort |
Early Christian Ecclesiastical
| Root | Count | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| cill- | 16 | church (early) |
Burial, Ritual, and Norse-Contact
| Root | Count | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| carn- | 2 | cairn |
| tuaim- | 1 | burial mound |
| dumha- | 1 | mound |
| uaimh- | 1 | cave / souterrain |
Other baronies in Clare
- Leitrim
- Tulla Upper
- Bunratty Upper
- Ibrickan
- Clonderalaw
- Islands
- Inchiquin
- Fermoy — Cork
- Condons And Clangibbon — Cork
- Pubblebrien — Limerick
See all 280 baronies in the Republic of Ireland Heritage Tool.
Explore further
Grounding History: 10 Maps of Northern Ireland’s Past
If you’re interested in Irish heritage more widely, the companion report for Northern Ireland brings together the analysis of all 462 NI wards into one place through 10 high-quality maps — covering monument density, archaeological periods, placename heritage, terrain, wetland, and the historic landscape at first survey. Take a look.
About this profile
Click any section below to expand.
What is a barony?
A barony is a historic administrative unit in Ireland, broadly equivalent to an English hundred. The 280 baronies used here are from the OSi 2019 National Statutory Boundaries (generalised 20m), covering the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland. Baronies derive from the Norman period, were formalised in the 17th century, and have not been redrawn for statistical purposes. They vary enormously in area, from compact urban baronies in Dublin to vast upland baronies in Connacht, and should not be compared by raw site count without accounting for area differences.
What counts as a site?
This profile combines three distinct heritage registers, each with its own definition of what constitutes a recordable site:
- Archaeological sites (NMS). The National Monuments Service Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) catalogues every known archaeological monument or site of archaeological interest in the Republic, from prehistoric burial mounds and ringforts to medieval churches and post-medieval defensive works. Inclusion does not require legal protection — only that the site has been identified, surveyed, and assessed as having archaeological value. A separate subset of these sites lies within a recorded protection zone, which gives them statutory protection under the National Monuments Acts.
- Listed buildings (NIAH). The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage records buildings of architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social, or technical interest. Each surveyed structure is appraised on a five-tier scale: International, National, Regional, Local, and Record-Only. The NIAH appraisal is informational rather than strictly statutory, but it underpins local-authority Record of Protected Structures (RPS) listings.
- Heritage placenames (Logainm). Logainm is the authoritative database of Irish placenames maintained by the Placenames Branch. This profile applies a heritage-diagnostic classifier to the Irish-language form of each townland name, flagging roots that signal defensive sites (ráth-, lios-, dún-, caiseal-, cathair-), ecclesiastical foundations (cill-, teampall-, domhnach-, mainistir-), prehistoric burial-ritual features (tuaim-, carn-, leaba-), or Norse-contact settlement (gall-). Townlands without one of these diagnostic roots are not flagged here — they may still carry historical significance, but that significance is not encoded in the name itself.
Editorial principles
The narrative sections of this profile follow several explicit principles:
- Evidential. Every claim about this barony’s heritage character is anchored in the underlying register data. Where a site count, a placename count, or a percentile rank is cited, it is computed from the source datasets at export time, not estimated.
- Comparative. Counts and metrics are reported alongside their percentile rank against the other 279 ROI baronies. A barony with 50 ringforts in absolute terms could be unusually high or unusually low depending on its size and regional context; percentile ranking removes that ambiguity.
- Transparent on limits. Where a register has known coverage gaps, survey biases, or data-quality issues that affect this barony’s figures, the profile flags them rather than presenting the numbers as definitive.
- No interpretation beyond what the data supports. The narrative does not speculate about historical events, social dynamics, or cultural meaning beyond what the recorded heritage and placename evidence directly attests.
Data caveats and limits
- NMS Sites and Monuments Record is the product of survey campaigns conducted at different intensities across different counties and decades. Some baronies have been surveyed more thoroughly than others, and absolute counts should be read in that light. Sites destroyed by development before survey are typically not represented; sites in heavily forested or upland terrain are sometimes under-recorded.
- NIAH coverage is broadly complete for the Republic of Ireland but the survey was conducted on a rolling county-by-county basis, and the most recent appraisal date varies. Buildings demolished or substantially altered after their original survey may still appear in the register; conversely, recent buildings of merit may not yet have been appraised.
- Logainm classification applies a deliberately conservative pattern-matching approach to the Irish-language townland forms. The classifier prioritises true positives over recall: a townland may carry a heritage signal that the classifier doesn’t recognise, particularly where the diagnostic root has been heavily anglicised or where the townland name draws on a less common term. The 60,000+ townland records and ~9,800 classified placenames give a substantial signal at barony scale, but individual townland names should be checked against Logainm directly for definitive interpretation.
- Period attribution. The chronological distribution reflects only those NMS sites that carry a recognised period attribution in the source data. Sites listed as “Unknown” period are excluded from the dated subset.
- Boundary changes. Some baronies have undergone minor boundary adjustments since their 19th-century definition; the OSi 2019 generalised boundaries used here are the current statutory definition and may differ slightly from historical maps in border areas.
- Bedrock geology is mapped at 1:100,000 scale, which means local variation within a barony — small pockets of different rock type, mineral veins, alluvium overlying bedrock — is generalised. The dominant-system and rocktype figures are area-weighted, so a barony reading “70% Carboniferous limestone” may still contain small but archaeologically important pockets of older or younger rock. Around 3% of GSI polygons do not match the lexicon and contribute no rocktype or system attribution.
Data sources
- National Monuments Service — Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) https://data.gov.ie/dataset/national-monuments-service-archaeological-survey-of-ireland
- National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) https://data.gov.ie/dataset/national-inventory-of-architectural-heritage-niah-national-dataset
- Logainm — Placenames Database of Ireland https://www.logainm.ie/
- Ordnance Survey Ireland — National Statutory Barony Boundaries 2019 https://data-osi.opendata.arcgis.com/
- EURODEM — European Digital Elevation Model https://www.mapsforeurope.org/datasets/euro-dem
- ESA WorldCover https://esa-worldcover.org/en
- Geological Survey Ireland — 1:100,000 Bedrock Geology https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/data-and-maps/Pages/Bedrock.aspx
Explore more: Search any of the 280 ROI baronies, browse by historical province, or read the methodology and data sources for the full Republic of Ireland Heritage Tool.