A Statistical Analysis of Ringfort Distribution and Morphology on the ...

Chapter 1: Introduction
study area must be viewed in this context. O’Flaherty treats generally <strong>of</strong> the name Irrus, stating that:
‘Many l<strong>and</strong>s here, environed for the most part by the sea, are called Iorros, with an adjection to
distinguish them one from another. The proper form <strong>of</strong> the word is iorrus; <strong>and</strong> some have that it
signifies western promontory - iar, west, ros, a promontory - while others believe that it meant
nothing more than a border or limit.’ 1 Joyce adds that ‘Hardiman, the editor <strong>of</strong> O’Flaherty, says that it
means a border, brink, margin, promontory, or headl<strong>and</strong>.’ 2 Following Frost it may also come from
‘íng, a neck <strong>of</strong> l<strong>and</strong>.’ 3
Westropp records that ‘The old name “Irrus” - promontory or peninsula - was used by Mac Grath in
the “Wars <strong>of</strong> Turlough” in 1313, for the district from Knockalough, near Kilmihil out to Loop Head. It
lingered in the mouths <strong>of</strong> the peasantry down to 1839, but, being too extensive <strong>and</strong> vague for map
purposes, was omitted from the survey: it seemed to have got confined to the district west <strong>of</strong> a line
between the creeks <strong>of</strong> Doonbeg <strong>and</strong> Poulinisherry ... It has a has a hazy background <strong>of</strong> memories <strong>of</strong>
lost tribes like the Siol Gangain, the Ua Catbar, <strong>and</strong> Ua Corra - the first finds a place at the Shannon’s
mouth, even in the geography <strong>of</strong> Ptolemy, which gives it a pre-Christian historic footing. Whether the
Martini round Kilrush extended over it we have at present no certainty; but for the present reach <strong>of</strong>
native history, the whole belonged to the powerful tribe <strong>of</strong> Corcavaskin.’ 4 He also states that the tribe
<strong>of</strong> Cairbre Bhaiscoinn held the entire area <strong>of</strong> Clare from the river Fergus, west to the ocean <strong>and</strong> as far
north as Lehinch <strong>and</strong> Inagh. In the Early Medieval period this became the ‘Rural Deanery <strong>of</strong>
Corcavaskin,’ under the bishopric <strong>of</strong> Inish Catha, or Scattery Isl<strong>and</strong> covering the more modern
baronies <strong>of</strong> Moyarta <strong>and</strong> Clonderlaw. Around 1180 Corcabaskin is believed to have fallen to the
Muinter Domhnaill, <strong>and</strong> later to the Mac Mahons, a branch <strong>of</strong> the O’Brien family. 5 Frost claims that
around 1488 Corcabaskin was partitioned between two branches <strong>of</strong> the Mac Mahons. 6 Westropp
continues that ‘The O’Briens, Lords <strong>of</strong> Clare, superseded the chiefs <strong>of</strong> [Moyarta] about 1603, <strong>and</strong> (by
their loyalty to James II) lost their goodly heritage in 1688: it was sold to the Mac Donnels, Burtons,
<strong>and</strong> Westbys in the sales <strong>of</strong> 1703.’ 7 The latter two families retained these l<strong>and</strong>s down to the late 19th
century when it was sold <strong>and</strong> divided by the L<strong>and</strong> Commission.
1.4 Conduct <strong>of</strong> the work <strong>and</strong> the methods employed
The various documentary sources that could be expected to contain archaeological information
relating to the study area were consulted <strong>and</strong> a list compiled <strong>of</strong> all known field monuments. The
monuments were inspected during an intensive programme <strong>of</strong> field survey between September 1991
<strong>and</strong> March 1992. The entire area was resurveyed on an intermittent basis between September 1994
<strong>and</strong> September 1997. Sites were also photographed from the air by the author on three separate
occasions between 1992 <strong>and</strong> 1997. Inventory descriptions have been compiled for all surviving
ringforts, unclassified earthworks <strong>and</strong> destroyed sites which appear to have been ringforts. During the
progress <strong>of</strong> the field survey every effort was made to discover previously unrecorded sites <strong>and</strong> also to
recover some elements <strong>of</strong> local folklore, each <strong>of</strong> which met with varying amounts <strong>of</strong> success. 8
1.5 L<strong>and</strong>scape archaeology: a review <strong>of</strong> research in Britain <strong>and</strong> Irel<strong>and</strong>
‘... l<strong>and</strong>scape is more than the environment in which cultures exist, it is more
accurately the context in which they exist. More than the physical context, it also
provides the social <strong>and</strong> chronological context. Peoples perceptions <strong>of</strong> themselves <strong>and</strong>
1 O’Flaherty 1684, 1978, 96.
2 Joyce 1912, 212.
3 Frost 1893.
4 Westropp 1908a, 35-6. See also AFM AM 3790, Vol. 1, 48-9.
5 Westropp op. cit. 36.
6 Frost 1893, 65.
7 Westropp ibid.
8 See Chapple 1994.
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