This impressive ringfort, dating from approximately the 9th century, consists of three concentric stone walls; the innermost reaches nearly 31 metres in diameter with walls standing up to 4 metres high in places. The fort’s strategic position, some 140 metres above sea level, offers commanding views across the karst landscape towards Galway Bay, making it clear why this location was chosen by its medieval builders.

The name Cahercorcaun translates to “the stone fort of Corcaun”, likely referring to a local chieftain who once controlled this territory. Archaeological evidence suggests the site was occupied well into the medieval period, with the remains of several internal structures still visible within the walls. These include what appears to have been a rectangular dwelling house, various outbuildings, and sections of internal dividing walls. The fort’s sophisticated construction, featuring carefully fitted dry stone walls up to 5 metres thick at the base, demonstrates the considerable resources and skilled craftsmanship available to its builders.

Today, Cahercorcaun offers visitors a tangible connection to Ireland’s early medieval past, when such fortifications served as both defensive structures and symbols of power for local rulers. The site can be reached via a moderate hillside walk from the village of Carran, though the terrain can be challenging and proper footwear is essential. Despite centuries of weathering, the fort remains one of the best preserved examples of its type in Ireland, its massive walls still standing as a testament to the engineering skills of our ancestors who shaped these stones without mortar into a fortress that has endured for over a thousand years.