Dún Eochla (The Fort of Eochaill)

Dún Eochla (‘the fort of Eochaill’), an early medieval stone fort, is situated almost at the highest point on the island. It commands clear views of Connamara to the north, and of Dún Dúchathair and the coast of Co. Clare to the east. It is located in the townland of Eochaill (‘yewwood’), so yew trees must have grown here in the early medieval period.

The fort probably dates to around the year A.D. 700 and was the home of a prosperous local taoiseach (‘chieftain’) who controlled the surrounding land. It is located midway between the lowland fields to the north where livestock spent the summer, and the cliffs where they spent the winter. Animals could be gathered into the outer enclosure in times of danger. The fort’s massive walls were probably designed to discourage and intimidate the taoiseach’s local rivals, as much as to resist physical attack by enemies.

The fort consists of two circular walls. The innermost wall is massive: 5m high and 3.5m thick. The wall is made up of three layers, one inside the other and there are several terraces and sets of steps. A sketch by the Welsh scholar Edward Lhuyd from 1700 suggests there existed then the remains of a house, but the only trace of it that remains today is the pile of stones at the centre of the enclosure.

Please help us preserve this monument for future generations of islanders and visitors by not climbing on the walls or removing any stones. 

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This national monument is protected in accordance with the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014