Location
Cahergrillaun ring-barrow is named after the townland in which it is located. It is situated in the east of the Burren region of County Clare, in the Barony of Clare and the civil parish of Carran.
The RMP number for the site is CL009-044 and it is located on OS sheet number 9. The area in which it is located is known as the Meggagh Depression. In addition to the townlands of Mohermoylan, Meggagh, Cahermackirilla, Cahergrillaun, Poulcarran, Poulcaragharush, Ballydoora and Caherconnell, it also contains the Eanty Valley with its number of similarly designated townlands, to wit, Eanty, Eantymore, Eantybeg South and Eantybeg North. The word Eanty is believed to be derived from the Irish Aontaí meaning a fair, popular assembly or gathering generally for games, races and similar contests. The older name Enogh is included in the Books of Petty’s Surveys from 1655.
Cahergrillaun ring-barrow is located on a small ridge within the Eanty Valley. This is mirrored by a similar geological formation to the west, defining a flat valley which extends northwards towards Caherconnell and one of the main North-South route ways across the Burren (R480). To the south, the valley snakes eastwards for a couple of hundred metres, narrowing through a steep gorge defined by rock cut cliffs, with a cashel on the southern tip called Cathair Mhic Oirialla or Cahermackirilla (CL009- 054). There is another cashel to the north of the gorge (CL009-053004), from which Cahergrillaun townland gets its name. The grillaun has no obvious etymological roots. Below Cathair Mhic Oirialla, the valley once again bends south and continues in the direction of the 15th-century church at Carran (CL009-075001), with its curious machicolation in the west gable. The present day road east-west from Carron village runs approximately 80m to the north of Cahergrillaun ring-barrow and crosses the R480 at Ballydoora Crossroads.
The RMP number for the site is CL009-044 and it is located on OS sheet number 9. The area in which it is located is known as the Meggagh Depression. In addition to the townlands of Mohermoylan, Meggagh, Cahermackirilla, Cahergrillaun, Poulcarran, Poulcaragharush, Ballydoora and Caherconnell, it also contains the Eanty Valley with its number of similarly designated townlands, to wit, Eanty, Eantymore, Eantybeg South and Eantybeg North. The word Eanty is believed to be derived from the Irish Aontaí meaning a fair, popular assembly or gathering generally for games, races and similar contests. The older name Enogh is included in the Books of Petty’s Surveys from 1655.
Cahergrillaun ring-barrow is located on a small ridge within the Eanty Valley. This is mirrored by a similar geological formation to the west, defining a flat valley which extends northwards towards Caherconnell and one of the main North-South route ways across the Burren (R480). To the south, the valley snakes eastwards for a couple of hundred metres, narrowing through a steep gorge defined by rock cut cliffs, with a cashel on the southern tip called Cathair Mhic Oirialla or Cahermackirilla (CL009- 054). There is another cashel to the north of the gorge (CL009-053004), from which Cahergrillaun townland gets its name. The grillaun has no obvious etymological roots. Below Cathair Mhic Oirialla, the valley once again bends south and continues in the direction of the 15th-century church at Carran (CL009-075001), with its curious machicolation in the west gable. The present day road east-west from Carron village runs approximately 80m to the north of Cahergrillaun ring-barrow and crosses the R480 at Ballydoora Crossroads.