Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

IR0916 Dunglara, Limerick (Doonglara)

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

HER:  Archaeological Survey of Ireland SMR Database LI049-098 (None)

NMR:  LI 049 (None)

SM:  None

NGR:  None

X:  572918  Y:  626342  (IRENET95)

Summary

Overlooking the Limerick lowlands and with excellent views to the N, E and W, an oval hillslope fort with a total site footprint of approximately 1.3ha is positioned in a highly visible area just off the summit of a hilltop at the N foothills of Slievereagh Mountain. Univallate for the entire circuit with two simple entrance gaps in the E and W. No internal features recorded, although a number of small, circular features at the centre of the fort are apparent in aerial photography. These may represent hut structures. Ramparts survive well throughout the circuit. The external ditch is apparent in the W and is not visible for the remainder of the circuit. A track-way abutting the external ditch at the W also represents a townland boundary. The interior is under pasture. First map depiction in first edition Ordnance Survey mapping. More detailed earthwork survey in second edition Ordnance Survey mapping.

Status

Citizen Science:  

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -934845  Y:  6870578  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -8.39785306542643  Latitude:  52.38794956624819  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  Republic of Ireland; None

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Limerick

Historic County:  Limerick

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Glenbrohane

Monument Condition

None

Condition:
Extant  
Cropmark  
Likely Destroyed  

Land Use

None

Current Use:
Woodland  
Commercial Forestry Plantation  
Parkland  
Pasture (Grazing)  
Arable  
Scrub/Bracken  
Bare Outcrop  
Heather/Moorland  
Heath  
Built-up  
Coastal Grassland  
Other  

Landscape

Hillfort Type

Highly visible hillslope fort positioned on the N foothills of Slievereagh Mountain with excellent views of the Limerick low-lands to the N, E and S.

Type:
Contour Fort  
Partial Contour Fort  
Promontory Fort  
Hillslope Fort  
Level Terrain Fort  
Marsh Fort  
Multiple Enclosure Fort  

Topographic Position

Position:
Hilltop  
Coastal Promontory  
Inland Promontory  
Valley Bottom  
Knoll/Hillock/Outcrop  
Ridge  
Cliff/Plateau-edge/Scarp  
Hillslope  
Lowland  
Spur  

Dominant Topographic Feature:  Hillslope.

Aspect:
North  
Northeast  
East  
Southeast  
South  
Southwest  
West  
Northwest  
Level  

Altitude:  223.0m

Boundary

Boundary Type:  None


Dating Evidence

None.

Reliability:  D - None

Principal Activity:
Pre 1200BC  
1200BC - 800BC  
800BC - 400BC  
400BC - AD50  
AD50 - AD400  
AD400 - AD 800  
Post AD800  
Unknown  

Other Activity:
Pre Hillfort:   None
Post Hillfort:   None

Evidence:No related records

Investigation History

First map depiction in first edition Ordnance Survey mapping. More detailed earthwork survey in second edition Ordnance Survey mapping.

Investigations:
1st Identified Map Depiction (1842):   First edition Ordnance Survey 6 inch mapping.
Earthwork Survey (1906):   Second edition 25 inch Ordnance Survey mapping.

Interior Features

There are no visible features within the interior. A number of circular features at the centre of the fort visible on aerial photography may represent hut structures.

Water Source

None

Source:
None  
Spring  
Stream  
Pool  
Flush  
Well  
Other  

Surface

None

Interior Features (Surface):
No Known Features  
Round Stone Structures  
Rectangular Stone Structures  
Curvilinear Platforms  
Other Roundhouse Evidence  
Pits  
Quarry Hollows  
Other  

Excavation

None

Interior Features (Excavation):
No Known Excavation  
Pits  
Postholes  
Roundhouses  
Rectangular Structures  
Roads/Tracks  
Quarry Hollows  
Other  
Nothing Found  

Geophysics

None

Interior Features (Geophysics):
No Known Geophysics  
Pits  
Roundhouses  
Rectangular Structures  
Roads/Tracks  
Quarry Hollows  
Other  
Nothing Found  

Finds

None

Interior (Finds):
No Known Finds  
Pottery  
Metal  
Metalworking  
Human Bones  
Animal Bones  
Lithics  
Environmental  
Other  

Aerial

Possible roundhouse structures visible in aerial photography.

Interior Features (Aerial):
APs Not Checked  
None  
Roundhouses  
Rectangular Structures  
Pits  
Postholes  
Roads/Tracks  
Other  

Entrances

Two breaks in the enclosing elements visible in historic mapping and aerial photography. These comprise simple gaps in the enclosing elements in the E and W both measuring approximately 4m wide.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
2:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   None

Guard Chambers:  

Chevaux de Frise:  

Entrances:
1. Simple Gap (East):   None
2. Simple Gap (West):   None

Enclosing Works

Oval area defined by a large bank up to 12m wide, with an external ditch feature apparent at the W measuring 8m wide. A track-way abutting the external ditch at the W also represents a townland boundary.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   0.72ha.
Total:   0.72ha.

Total Footprint Area:  1.27ha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✗   None

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✓   None

Number of Ramparts:  
NE Quadrant:   1
SE Quadrant:   1
SW Quadrant:   1
NW Quadrant:   1
Total:   1

Morphology

Current Morphology:
Partial Univallate  
Univallate  
Partial Bivallate  
Bivallate  
Partial Multivallate  
Multivallate  
Unknown  

Detailed Morphology:
Partial Univallate  
Univallate  
Partial Bivallate  
Bivallate  
Partial Multivallate  
Multivallate  

Surface Evidence

None

Enclosing Works (Surface):
None  
Earthen Bank  
Stone Wall  
Rubble  
Wall-walk  
Evidence of Timber  
Vitrification  
Other Burning  
Palisade  
Counter Scarp Bank  
Berm  
Unfinished  
Other  

Excavated Evidence

None

Enclosing Works (Excavation):
None  
Earthen Bank  
Stone Wall  
Murus Duplex  
Timber-framed  
Timber-laced  
Vitrification  
Other Burning  
Palisade  
Counter Scarp Bank  
Berm  
Unfinished  
No Known Excavation  
Other  

Other

Gang Working:
✗   None

Ditches:
✓   External ditch.

Number of Ditches:  1

Annex:
✗   None.

References

No related records



Terms of Use

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