Brian Boru's Fort
| Brian Boru's Fort | |
|---|---|
| Béal Ború (Irish) | |
| Balboru | |
.jpg) | |
  Location within Ireland | |
| 52°49′08″N 8°27′06″W / 52.818908°N 8.451578°W | |
| Type | ringfort |
| Location | Ballyvally, Killaloe, County Clare, Ireland |
| History | |
| Built | 11th century |
| Site notes | |
| Elevation | 45 m (148 ft) |
| Area | 0.29 ha (0.72 acres) |
Official name | Brian Boru's Fort |
| Reference no. | 591 |
Brian Boru's Fort, also called Béal Ború, is a ringfort and National Monument located in County Clare, Ireland.[1][2]
Location
[edit]Brian Boru's Fort is located immediately north of Killaloe, on the west bank of the River Shannon, commanding the southern entry to Lough Derg.[3]
History
[edit]Dáithí Ó hÓgáin claimed this site as the birthplace or childhood home of Brian Boru (c. 941 – 1014), High King of Ireland 1002–14; as an adult he was based further south at Kincora (in modern Killaloe).[4]
Excavations in 1936 revealed over 800 stone implements, including ten stone axes, hammerstones and stone fishing sinkers for lines and nets, were found in the immediate neighbourhood.[5] It is likely that it was occupied during the Stone Age. In 1961 Michael J. O'Kelly's excavations revealed a ringfort which had been inhabited, abandoned and later built over. A larger structure which included a bank and ditch was built at a later time.[6]
The name Béal Bórumha means "mouth of cattle tribute"; it may have been at the fording-point here that the Dál gCais paid or received such tributes.[7]
Brian Boru's fort was built in the eleventh century and stood possibly until 1116 when Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair's men defeated the Ua Briain and destroyed Kincora. Later finds include Hiberno-Norse pennies minted c.1035–70,[8][9] decorated slate, five bronze pins, a tangled stud, 25 nails, two small sherds of pottery, animal and bird bones and musket balls.
In 1207 the Normans tried to build a motte and bailey but were driven off. Geoffrey de Marisco instead built a castle at Killaloe in 1216.[10]
Description
[edit]The fort is a mound of earth 70 m (80 yd) in diameter.
The 1961 excavation discovered postholes of a rectangular wooden building with a central hearth near the western side of the enclosed area, situated perpendicular to the bank. It was approximately 4 m by 2.5 m (13 ft by 8 ft), with a paved entryway. [11][12][13]
In fiction
[edit]Béal Ború is mentioned in Morgan Llywelyn's 1990 novel Brian Boru: Emperor of the Irish, winner of a Bisto Award.[14]
References
[edit]- ↑ "megalithomania: Brian Boru's Fort (Clare) :: Ring Fort :: Visit notes".
- ↑ Duffy, Seán (18 October 2013). Brian Boru and the Battle of Clontarf. Gill & Macmillan Ltd. ISBN 9780717157761 – via Google Books.
- ↑ Blackwell, Amy Hackney; Hackney, Ryan (1 January 2004). The Everything Irish History & Heritage Book: From Brian Boru and St. Patrick to Sinn Fein and the Troubles, All You Need to Know About the Emerald Isle. Everything Books. ISBN 9781605505107. Archived from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2017 – via Google Books.
- ↑ Tibus, Website design and development by. "Beal Boru 'Brian Boru's Fort' - Attractions - Museums and Attractions - All Ireland - Republic of Ireland - Clare - Killaloe - Discover Ireland".
- ↑ Meehan, Cary (2004). Sacred Ireland. Somerset: Gothic Image Publications. p. 466. ISBN 0 906362 43 1.
- ↑ Meehan, p. 467.
- ↑ Meehan, p. 467.
- ↑ Moody, Theodore William; Cróinín, Dáibhí Ó; Martin, Francis X. (1 January 2005). A New History of Ireland. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198217374 – via Google Books.
- ↑ Allen, Martin (5 December 2016). Early Medieval Monetary History: Studies in Memory of Mark Blackburn. Routledge. ISBN 9781351942522 – via Google Books.
- ↑ "Mythical Ireland - Brian Boru's Fort".
- ↑ "Béal Ború – Brian Boru's Fort - Voices from the Dawn". 21 April 2010.
- ↑ "Clare Places - Killaloe: Places of Interest".
- ↑ "Beal Boru: Brian Boru's Fort, Killaloe, Co. Clare (deadlyphoto blog)".
- ↑ Llywelyn, Morgan (14 September 2012). Brian Boru: Emperor of the Irish. The O'Brien Press. ISBN 9781847174697 – via Google Books.