Whilst the Ordnance Survey’s third edition 6-inch map marks this area as Doon More, the site remained unexplored during the archaeological surveys of the 1960s, leaving its exact nature tantalisingly uncertain. The location appears to be a promontory fort, one of those defensive coastal structures that dot Ireland’s Atlantic shores, where natural cliffs and strategic positioning provided ancient communities with both protection and control over maritime routes.

These coastal fortifications represent a fascinating chapter in Irish prehistory, typically dating from the Iron Age through to the early medieval period. Promontory forts made clever use of the landscape; builders would construct defensive banks and ditches across the neck of a headland or peninsula, allowing the sea cliffs to form natural barriers on the remaining sides. At Inishdooey, the remote island setting would have added an extra layer of isolation and security, though it also means the site has avoided the detailed archaeological attention given to more accessible locations.

The information about this site comes from the comprehensive Archaeological Survey of County Donegal, compiled in 1983 by Brian Lacey and his team of researchers. This survey attempted to catalogue field antiquities spanning from the Mesolithic period right through to the 17th century, providing an invaluable record of Donegal’s rich archaeological heritage. However, as the note about Inishdooey demonstrates, even systematic surveys have their limits; some sites remain documented but unvisited, their secrets still waiting to be properly investigated and understood.