Long known as ‘Brian Boru’s Fort’, this ancient site has captured imaginations for centuries as the possible seat of Ireland’s most famous High King, who ruled from 1002 until his death at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. Whilst the connection to Brian Boru remains tantalisingly uncertain, the monument clearly formed part of the wider Kincora complex that served as the power base for this legendary ruler.

Archaeological excavations in 1961 revealed a fascinating timeline of occupation and transformation. Originally constructed as a ringfort with an internal dwelling, coins discovered during the dig dated the house to the 11th century, aligning perfectly with Brian Boru’s era. The Annals of the Four Masters record that the site was raided and demolished in 1116, marking the end of its first chapter. Today’s imposing structure, however, tells a different story; the high rounded bank standing 4 to 6 metres tall, the deep fosse, and the raised centre with its sunken interior likely represent an unfinished Norman attempt to construct a ringwork castle in the early 13th century.

The monument now presents as a circular earthwork roughly 70 to 75 metres in overall diameter, with an interior space of about 20 metres across. The substantial bank, some 17 metres wide at its base, is encircled by a defensive ditch that’s 10 metres wide and up to 2 metres deep. A large entrance feature to the north includes a causeway across the fosse, though the stone facing visible on the bank’s external face and entrance may be a later addition from between 1893 and 1911. Now thickly wooded with beech trees and Scots pine, Beal Boru stands as a National Monument under State care, its layers of history preserved beneath the canopy that has grown undisturbed since the excavations.