Places to visit

Craggaunowen - The Living Past Open Air Museum

The Museum gives a number of archaeological examples of Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age sites in an attractive park setting. It is open from April to September. Craggaunowen Castle and Crannog are part of Shannon Heritage. They describe the experience of visiting the site as:
"Ireland’s original award winning Pre-historic Park. Come and explore the roots of the people, homesteads, animals and artifacts of our Celtic ancestors of over 1,000 years ago which have touched and shaped how we live today."

Knappogue Standing Stones and Knappogue Castle/Caisleán na Cnapoige

Knappogue Standing Stones - Three stones reaching to about eight feet in height. There is a fourth stone is about 200m northwest. They are located in a private field next to the R469 which goes northwest from the R462 as you travel towards Quin (Irish: Cuinche) in County Clare, Ireland (Irish: Contae an Chláir, Éire). The site is between Ballyroughan and Knappogue. Knappogue Castle/Caisleán na Cnapoige - This is a fifteenth century castle in County Clare and was the seat of the Mac Conmara family.

Dysert O'Dea Castle

O'Dea Castle, also known as Dysert O'Dea Castle is a fortified tower house standing about fifty feet in height about three miles (5km) south from Corrofin/Cora Finne just off the R476 road on the southern edge of the Burren (Irish: Boireann) in County Clare, Ireland (Irish: Contae an Chláir, Éire). The castle was built between 1470 and 1490 by Diarmaid O'Dea, Lord of Cineal Fearmaic. The castle houses the Clare Archaeology Centre which as well as providing tours of parts of the building and surrounding historical monuments also has artefacts from the area dating from 100BC and 1700AD.

Creevagh Wedge Tomb

Creevagh wedge tomb is a Neolithic wedge tomb. It is located on private land in the townland of Creevagh, in the parish of Carran, in the Burren (Irish: Boireann) area of County Clare, Ireland (Irish: Contae an Chláir, Éire). It is thought to have been constructed in about 2300 to 2000 BC. Those that constructed this type of tomb ensured that the widest part of the tomb faced the setting sun. Clearly as part of the belief systems of the people at the time. Creevagh tomb follows the same pattern with the widest part facing the southwest. This tomb has a roofstone over the chamber that is supported by two sidestones, with a stone standing at about six feet towards the front. The site is north from Creevagh.

Ballykinvarga Stone Fort - Caher Ballykinvarga

Ballykinvarga is a large stone fort site in the Burren (Irish: Boireann) which is in northwestern County Clare, Ireland (Irish: Contae an Chláir, Éire).  The walls reaching a height of about four and a half metres and six metres thick in places. Against the walls the remains of huts can be seen. The site is north of the R476 off a minor road north of Lisket towards Ballykinvarga. It is not far north (1.5km) from the town of Kilfenora. Kilfenora (Irish: Cill Fhionnúrach) is also known for its high crosses, five of which remain standing. The partially ruined Kilfenora Cathedral is in the town and the present structure dates to between 1189 and 1200. Additions to the building were made in subsequent centuries.

Leamaneh Castle - Caisleán Leamaneh

Leamaneh Castle courtesy of wikimedia commons and being the own work of Jerzy Strzelecki http://Jerzystrzelecki

Leamaneh Castle - Caisleán Leamaneh are the ruins of an early seventeenth century mansion with an earlier late fifteenth early sixteenth century tower house. The tower house is thought to have been built by Turlogh Donn one of the last High Kings of Ireland and descendant of Brian Boru. However, the house finally fell into ruin at the end of the 18th century. The site is located off the R476 road east from the village of Kilfenora (Irish: Cill Fhionnúrach) until the road reaches the R480 northwards. The castle is just north of this turnoff on the R480. The castle can be seen from the road, but is on private land.

Caherconnell Stone Fort

Caherconnell (Irish: Cathair Chonaill) is a stone ringfort in the Burren, County Clare, Ireland. (Irish: Boireann, Contae an Chláir, Éire). The circular enclosing walls has a diameter of 42 metres. The walls are up to 3 metres thick and up to 3 metres high, although they are thought to have been higher at one time. There are remains of a dividing drystone wall inside the enclosure which is approximately a metre wide. There are also the remains of two other structures. It has been estimated that the ringfort mostly dates from the early 10th to mid-12th century. There are also indications that the site was inhabited in subsequent years. Caherconnell is located west of the R480 road between Ballyvaughan (Irish: Baile Uí Bheacháin) and Leamaneh Castle in the townland of Caherconnel in County Clare. The site is open to the public with a visitor centre and café.

Poulnabrone Portal Tomb - Poll na Brón

Poulnabrone dolmen (Irish: Poll na Brón) is a large portal tomb located in the Burren, County Clare, Ireland. (Irish: Boireann, Contae an Chláir, Éire). It has three standing portal stones supporting a heavy horizontal capstone. The structure is about 1.8 meters in height and stands in the centre of a cairn on a limestone pavement. It is thought to date to between 4200 BC and 2900 BC. Dolmens are a type of single-chamber tomb or burial chamber. They could be covered with earth or smaller stones to form a tumulus or mound. What can often be seen now is the intact stone structure that would have been under the mound, the covering having weathered away over the centuries. There are approximately 172 dolmens in Ireland. Poulnabrone dolmen is located about 5 miles (8 km) south of Ballyvaughan. It is in a rocky field in the remote and high altitude townland of Poulnabrone, Kilcorney (Irish: Cill Choirne), close to the R480 road.

Gleninsheen Wedge Tombs

The Gleninsheen wedge tombs are two prehistoric wedge tombs located in the Burren (Irish: Boireann),area of County Clare, Ireland (Irish: Contae an Chláir, Éire). The Glenisheen wedge tombs are quite close to each other on private property in the townland of Gleninsheen, in the parish of Rathborney, not far from the N480 road. One is located right next to the road. The other, partially collapsed, is around 100 m to the northeast in a field. They are thought to date to about 2300 to 2000 BC. As was the practice the widest part of the tomb is facing south west towards the setting sun.

Ballyallaban Ring Fort - Baile Albóin

Ballyallaban ringfort (Irish: Baile Albóin) also known as An Rath is an earthen walled fort surrounded by a ditch.  It has an internal diameter of around 100 feet, but extending to 200 feet when the moat is included. Although there are trees now growing on the site it remains visible and is in good condition. The ramparts were built with the earth dug out of the moat, which still fills with water after rain. Estimated to have been constructed in around 2000 BC - 1000 BC. Clearly this had some defensive purpose and the site of a stronghold. Over 40,000 of such sites have been identified in Ireland but there must have been many more.The fort lies right next to the R480 road between the village of Ballyvaughan and Leamaneh Castle. This is in the Burren (Irish: Boireann) area of County Clare (Irish: Contae an Chláir) .

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