Cahermacnaghten facts for kids
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Cathair Mhic Neachtain
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 Location in Ireland
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| Alternative name | Cahermacnaughten |
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| Location | Parish of Rathborney, the Burren |
| Region | Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°02′45″N 9°11′53″W / 53.0459°N 9.198°W |
| Type | ringfort |
| History | |
| Material | limestone |
| Site notes | |
| Ownership | public |
| Public access | Yes (law school on private property) |
| Reference no. | 354 |
Cahermacnaghten (pronounced "Kah-her-mac-NAGH-ten"), or Irish: Cathair Mhic Neachtain in Irish, is an ancient stone fort. It is located in the Burren area of County Clare, Ireland. This historic site is found south of the village of Ballyvaughan.
Cahermacnaghten is famous for being near the home of the O'Davoran family. They ran an important law school here long ago. Today, Cahermacnaghten is protected as a National Monument.
Contents
Where is Cahermacnaghten?
This old fort is easy to find. It sits right next to a road. This road connects the village of Ballyvaughan to Kilfenora. Cahermacnaghten is in a place called the townland of Cahermacnaghten. This area is part of the civil parish of Rathborney.
A Look Back at History
The O'Davoran Family
The O'Davorans were a very important family. They were the official lawyers, also known as brehons, for the O'Loghlen family. The O'Loghlens were known as the "Kings of the Burren" during the Middle Ages.
For a long time, people thought the O'Davoran law school was inside the stone fort itself. But now, experts believe the actual school was in another ruined building. This building is about 870 meters (about half a mile) to the southwest. It is called Cabhail Tighe Breac.
The stone fort likely held the O'Davoran family's home. It was their main family base.
When Was It Used?
We know about the O'Davorans from old writings. Records of them go back to at least 1364. This information comes from the Annals of Connaught.
The ringfort was used for a long time. People lived there at least until the 1600s. A document from 1606 shows how the property was divided. It was split between two members of the O'Davoran family.
The Law School Building
Archaeologists have been studying the probable law school building since 2007. It is a stone building with one story. It has three rooms and a loft above them. It was probably built around the year 1500. It was likely used just for teaching, not for living in.
A recent dig found a piece of slate with a single letter carved on it. This discovery might support the idea that it was indeed a school.
What Does Cahermacnaghten Look Like?
The Main Fort
The main stone fort, called a cashel, is about 100 feet (30 meters) across. The ground inside the fort is higher than the land around it. This is probably because of all the old dirt and things left behind over many years. Inside the fort, you can see the remains of five rectangular stone buildings.
The Gatehouse
The fort has an unusual gatehouse. It was built in the 1400s and had two stories. Today, it is mostly collapsed. But we have old descriptions and pictures from the 1800s and early 1900s. These show us what it looked like before it fell apart.
The Surrounding Area
The area around Cahermacnaghten was once very busy. There are at least four other stone forts nearby. You can also see many old stone walls and enclosures. These are spread across a shallow valley about 3 kilometers (nearly 2 miles) long.
This shows that the area had a large community in the 1500s and 1600s. It was much more populated back then than it is today.
