Cathair Dhuin Irghuis
"No traffic on the Atlantic is out of sight - watchmen here must have seen many a curragh and galleon, and could have watched Christopher Columbus sail by".As soon as I read that, in Charles Nelson's wonderful book on the wildflowers of The Burren, I had to get to Cathair Dhúin Irghuis. It is perched on the top of Black Head and has a spectacular view of Galway Bay, Connemara, and the Clare coast. Nobody seems to know for sure if it is medieval or prehistoric, A.D. 400-1200, pick a date. There are 400 or so of these ringforts in The Burren, in varying degrees of repair. They were farmers' homesteads, usually situated to take def
ensive advantage of the terrain, and they sometimes had two or three encircling walls.
Cathair Chomáin
The fort at Cathair Chomáin is built on the edge of a high cliff and also has the remains of some underground passages, called souterrains, which lead to an opening in the wall along the cliff edge. At this point there is a crack in the cliff face and a rope was used as a means of escape if the fort was attacked. Ballykinvarga fort is surrounded by jagged rocks set upright to repel invaders. This formation is known as chevaux de frise, thought to be from the Iron Age.To get to Cathair Dhúin Irghuis you should drive north from Fanore until you get to the lighthouse. Retrace your steps about a half mile and you will see a wall going all the way up Black Head. If you follow that wall you will come to the fort. Watch out for wild goats on the way. For Cathair Chomáin, drive west from Carron and take the first turn left, at about the half mile mark.This is the road to Kilnaboy, but I doubt if it will say so. Go about one and a half miles and look out for a new white bungalow on the left. The path to the fort runs alongside the house, and hopefully the signpost will still be there. It tends to disappear, depending on how paranoid the farmers are about being sued that day. The path is an official Office of Public Works' path so don't worry about trespassing. From Kilnaboy, take the road after the Post Office going west and the white bungalow is about three miles up on your right.