Ringfort (Cashel), Málainn Mhóir, Co. Donegal
On the western slopes of rising ground in Málainn Mhóir, County Donegal, lies the remnants of an ancient cashel that locals once called 'Caiseal an Oir', the Cashel of Gold.
Ringfort (Cashel), Málainn Mhóir, Co. Donegal
This circular stone enclosure sits on rough, poorly drained grazing land, offering commanding views across the upland landscape to Rossan Point in the northwest. A small mountain stream runs immediately southeast of the site, whilst the Cloghanmore court tomb can be spotted some 480 metres to the southwest, suggesting this area held particular significance for ancient communities.
The cashel itself measures approximately 17.1 metres across its interior, originally enclosed by a drystone wall that still stands up to 0.8 metres high in places, with a thickness ranging from 1.8 to 2.1 metres. The southeastern section, overlooking the stream, preserves the best surviving portion of the structure, where three to four courses of stonework remain visible beneath their covering of heather. Elsewhere, time and weather have reduced much of the defensive wall to little more than a low earthen scarp, though the circular footprint of the enclosure remains clearly defined.
The intriguing local name, Cashel of Gold, has inspired considerable interest over the years, leading to extensive disturbance of the interior through treasure hunting. These excavations have left several quarry holes that are still visible today, permanent scars from generations of hopeful diggers searching for whatever riches might have inspired the site’s tantalising name. Whether the moniker refers to actual treasure, a trick of the light at sunset, or perhaps the yellow flowers that bloom across the hillside, remains a mystery as enduring as the ancient stones themselves.





