Satellite Imagery
Satellite Imagery
HER: Archaeological Survey of Ireland SMR Database CO138-017 (None)
NMR: CO 138 (None)
SM: None
NGR: None
X: 479769 Y: 531834 (IRENET95)
The promontory is situated at Dooneen, c. 6km N of Goleen town on the SW coast of Co. Cork. In the townland of Lackavaun, the irregular headland projects N into Dunmanus Bay at an altitude of 7m OD. Marked as 'Dooneen' on the first edition OS six-inch map (1842), the enclosing elements are also depicted. Described by Westropp as a 'rocky peninsula with low cliffs over which huge waves break in western gales' (1915, 277). The headland is enclosed at the neck by two banks the inner running roughly NE/SW, and the outer E/W. The outer exploits rock outcrop (W side) and is otherwise an earthen bank 0.5m in height. The inner, earthen bank 0.1m in height is stone-faced externally (Power et al. 1992, 128). Westropp describes a 'slight mound along the rock-ledge, with a toe of large slabs set deep on the ground. On it rested a wall of rather small, flat stones, forming a revetment to the ledge in parts, and backed with earth at the breaks. It is 78 feet long: two or three layers of masonry' (1915, 277); he believed the outer bank was relatively recent in its construction. No indication of any breaks in the banks or original entrances. Interior made up of two rocky ridges joined by sea arch (marked 'Cavern' on both editions of the OS 6-inch map). Aerial photos show some ridge and furrow on E side of fort, inside the outer bank.
Citizen Science: ✗
Reliability of Data: Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation: Confirmed
X: -1083449 Y: 6714921 (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude: -9.73279242457213 Latitude: 51.526285976104816 (EPSG:4326)
Country: Republic of Ireland
Current County or Unitary Authority: Cork
Historic County: Cork
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland: Lackavaun
None
| Extant | ✓ |
| Cropmark | ✗ |
| Likely Destroyed | ✗ |
None
| Woodland | ✗ |
| Commercial Forestry Plantation | ✗ |
| Parkland | ✗ |
| Pasture (Grazing) | ✓ |
| Arable | ✗ |
| Scrub/Bracken | ✗ |
| Bare Outcrop | ✗ |
| Heather/Moorland | ✗ |
| Heath | ✗ |
| Built-up | ✗ |
| Coastal Grassland | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Irregular headland projects N into Dunmanus Bay. Described by Westropp as a 'rocky peninsula with low cliffs over which huge waves break in western gales' (1915, 277). The headland is defended at neck by two banks.
| Contour Fort | ✗ |
| Partial Contour Fort | ✗ |
| Promontory Fort | ✓ |
| Hillslope Fort | ✗ |
| Level Terrain Fort | ✗ |
| Marsh Fort | ✗ |
| Multiple Enclosure Fort | ✗ |
| Hilltop | ✗ |
| Coastal Promontory | ✓ |
| Inland Promontory | ✗ |
| Valley Bottom | ✗ |
| Knoll/Hillock/Outcrop | ✗ |
| Ridge | ✗ |
| Cliff/Plateau-edge/Scarp | ✗ |
| Hillslope | ✗ |
| Lowland | ✗ |
| Spur | ✗ |
Dominant Topographic Feature: N-facing promontory
| North | ✓ |
| Northeast | ✗ |
| East | ✗ |
| Southeast | ✗ |
| South | ✗ |
| Southwest | ✗ |
| West | ✗ |
| Northwest | ✗ |
| Level | ✗ |
Altitude: 7.0m
N/A
None
Reliability: D - None
| Pre 1200BC | ✗ |
| 1200BC - 800BC | ✗ |
| 800BC - 400BC | ✗ |
| 400BC - AD50 | ✗ |
| AD50 - AD400 | ✗ |
| AD400 - AD 800 | ✗ |
| Post AD800 | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✓ |
| Pre Hillfort: | None |
| Post Hillfort: | Arial photos show some ridge and furrow on E side of fort, inside the outer bank |
Site named 'Dooleen' on first edition of OS six-inch maps. Both banks depicted. Surveyed by Westropp in 1915 who noted two banks, the outer he describes as 'hardly very old' (1915, 277). Site inspected by the Cork Archaeological Survey who note outer bank made up of rock outcrop (W side) and earthen bank (H 0.5m). Inner earthen bank (H 1m), stone faced externally (Power et al. 1992, 128).
| 1st Identified Map Depiction (1842): | First edition OS six-inch map |
| 1st Identified Written Reference (1915): | Westropp |
| Earthwork Survey (1989): | Cork Archaeological Survey |
Some circular vegetation marks are visible on aerial photos inside the outer bank. Later ridge and furrow is also evident.
None
| None | ✓ |
| Spring | ✗ |
| Stream | ✗ |
| Pool | ✗ |
| Flush | ✗ |
| Well | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
None
| No Known Features | ✓ |
| Round Stone Structures | ✗ |
| Rectangular Stone Structures | ✗ |
| Curvilinear Platforms | ✗ |
| Other Roundhouse Evidence | ✗ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
None
| No Known Excavation | ✓ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Postholes | ✗ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
| Nothing Found | ✗ |
None
| No Known Geophysics | ✓ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
| Nothing Found | ✗ |
None
| No Known Finds | ✓ |
| Pottery | ✗ |
| Metal | ✗ |
| Metalworking | ✗ |
| Human Bones | ✗ |
| Animal Bones | ✗ |
| Lithics | ✗ |
| Environmental | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Some circular vegetation marks visible on aerial photos between the two lines inside the outer bank. Later ridge and furrow also evident.
| APs Not Checked | ✗ |
| None | ✓ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Postholes | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
No entrances recorded through the banks.
| 0: | None |
| 2: | None |
Guard Chambers: ✗
Chevaux de Frise: ✗
The headland is enclosed at the neck by two banks. Outer bank made up of rock outcrop (W side) and earthen (H 0.5m). Inner is earthen bank (H 1m) with external stone face. No ditch recorded at site.
| Area 1: | 1.3ha. |
| Total: | 1.3ha. |
Total Footprint Area: 2.3ha.
None
| ✗ | None |
| ✗ | None |
| NE Quadrant: | 0 |
| SE Quadrant: | 0 |
| SW Quadrant: | 1 |
| NW Quadrant: | 1 |
| Total: | 1 |
| Partial Univallate | ✓ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✗ |
| Bivallate | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✗ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✗ |
| Partial Univallate | ✗ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✗ |
| Bivallate | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✗ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
None
| None | ✗ |
| Earthen Bank | ✓ |
| Stone Wall | ✓ |
| Rubble | ✗ |
| Wall-walk | ✗ |
| Evidence of Timber | ✗ |
| Vitrification | ✗ |
| Other Burning | ✗ |
| Palisade | ✗ |
| Counter Scarp Bank | ✗ |
| Berm | ✗ |
| Unfinished | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
None
| None | ✗ |
| Earthen Bank | ✗ |
| Stone Wall | ✗ |
| Murus Duplex | ✗ |
| Timber-framed | ✗ |
| Timber-laced | ✗ |
| Vitrification | ✗ |
| Other Burning | ✗ |
| Palisade | ✗ |
| Counter Scarp Bank | ✗ |
| Berm | ✗ |
| Unfinished | ✗ |
| No Known Excavation | ✓ |
| Other | ✗ |
| ✗ | None |
| ✗ | None |
Number of Ditches: 0
| ✗ | None |
Power, D., Byrne, E., Egan, U., Lane, S., and Sleeman, M. 1992. Archaeological Inventory of County Cork Volume 1: West Cork, 126-130. The stationary Office, Dublin.
Westropp, T.J. 1915. Fortified headlands and castles in western County Cork. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 32C, 249-86.
Atlas of Hillforts:
Wikidata:
This work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
and should be cited as:
Lock, Gary and Ralston, Ian. 2024. Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland. Available at: https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk
Document Version 1.1