13 Forts to Explore in Munster
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Forts to Explore in Munster
Cahercommaun (Cathair Chomáin)Cahercommaun is a triple stone ringfort in County Clare, Ireland. It was built on the edge of a cliff around 800 AD. 16,500 tons of stone have been used to build the inner wall alone. The excavation uncovered one of the most important Iron Age collections found in Ireland. From the collection, a set of sheep shears and a saddle quern are on loan to the Clare Museum from the Irish Antiquities Division of the National Museum of Ireland.
Cahergall Stone FortThe Cahergal Stone Fort is an impressive example of an Iron Age ring fort. A few of such forts can be found in Ireland. The current structure has undergone some reconstruction and while the purist may say it is too “clean and pure” it is an impressive site. One of the iconic attraction in this area and attracts a lot of tourists here.
CahermacnaghtenCahermacnaghten is a ringfort south of Ballyvaughan in the Burren area, in County Clare, Ireland. It, or a nearby building, is the site of the famous O'Davoran law school. The fort is a National Monument.
Camden Fort MeagherCamden Fort Meagher is a coastal defence fortification close to Crosshaven. Though originally constructed in the 16th century, the current structures of the 45 acre fort date to the 1860s. It remained largely overgrown until 2010 when a group of local volunteers began restoration and development of the fort for heritage and tourism purposes.
Charles FortCharles Fort is a massive star-shaped structure of the late seventeenth century, well preserved despite its history. The fort is now operated as a heritage tourism site by the Heritage Ireland arm of the Office of Public Works. As one of the country’s largest military installations, Charles Fort has been part of some of the most momentous events of Irish history.
Dunbeg FortA majestic prehistoric Irish fort located on the Dingle Peninsula. This impressive and interesting fort will captivate lovers of prehistoric archaeological sites and will offer you a breathtaking view of the Dingle cliffs and the ocean. It is located on a rocky promontory just south of Slea Head on the Dingle Peninsula, looking over Dingle Bay to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.
Dungarvan CastleThis is an Anglo-Norman fortification founded in 1185. It was built in a very strategic location at the mouth of the River Colligan. The castle consists of a polygonal shell keep with an enclosing curtain wall, a corner tower and a gate tower. The shell keep is the earliest structure, dating from the 12th century. Shell keeps are common in England, but rare in Ireland. Inside the curtain wall is a two storey military barracks, which dates from the first half of the 18th century.
Glenquin CastleGlenquin Castle is a tower house and National Monument located in County Limerick, Ireland.This castle was a fortified dwelling, for the protection against raids and invaders, more correctly described as a Tower House. It is one of the finest tower houses to survive from the 16th century and is open to the public during the summer months.
James Fort James Fort is an early 17th-century pentagonal bastion fort located on Castlepark peninsula in Kinsale harbour, County Cork, Ireland. Situated downstream from Kinsale on the River Bandon, the fort was built to defend the harbour and seaborne approaches of the town. Following the construction of Charles Fort on the opposite side of the harbour in the late 17th century, James Fort became known as the "old fort" .
Knockdrum Stone FortThis is one of the largest and finest stone forts in Ireland and was probably built in the early centuries AD before Christianity came. Approximately 29 metres in diameter the fort has thick walls some 3 metres wide and standing almost 2 metres high. Access to the fort is through a narrow entrance on the north eastern side of the walls. The site is owned by the Irish Government which has declared it a national monument.
Loher Stone FortThe Loher Fort was probably built in the 9th century and served as a fortification of a farm yard. Behind the high walls both humans and animals found protection from attackers. Within the fort, the remnats of two buildings can be found – one of them with a circular, the other one with a square layout. In the interior are a large round house and a smaller rectangular house; archaeology has shown that these were preceded by wooden buildings. A souterrain was located in the circular house.
Mooghaun Hill FortMooghaun Bronze Age Hillfort, near Newmarket-on-Fergus in County Clare, was built at the beginning of the Late Bronze Age around 950 BC and is one of the biggest such forts in Ireland. The site is enclosed by woodland near Newmarket-on-Fergus in County Clare. There is a self guided trail up to the Hillfort which is identified as the largest in Ireland. Believed to be the largest hill fort in Ireland, it is one of the region's main tourist attractions.
Staigue Stone FortStaigue Fort is probably one of the best examples of an ancient ringfort in Kerry. The fort is thought to have been built during the late Iron Age, probably somewhere between 300 and 400 AD, as a defensive stronghold for a local lord or king. The fort consists of a massive circular rampart surrounded by an external bank. The wall is up to 5.5m high and 4m thick, surrounding a circular area of 27.4m in diameter. It shows great skill and craftsmanship in the area of stone building.