Ringfort (Cashel), Tully More, Co. Galway
Co. Galway |
Ringforts
On the eastern shore of Tully Lough in County Galway, a small island sits largely forgotten beneath a tangle of heavy vegetation.
What makes it quietly remarkable is not what can be seen today, but what was recorded just over a century ago and has since slipped from view entirely.
In 1922, a researcher named Lynam documented Wood Island, a roughly circular feature measuring about 40 metres across, as probably a crannog. A crannog is an artificial or modified island, typically constructed during the early medieval period and used as a defended dwelling place, built up from layers of timber, stone, peat, and other materials. Lynam noted that a well-built stone wall, approximately 0.9 metres high, still ran around the island at the water's edge and survived in many places. More intriguing still, he observed what he described as an artificial creek or port opening through the wall on the eastern side, suggesting a deliberate entrance point designed for boats or small craft. These details point to a site that was once carefully engineered for both habitation and access. By the time a more recent visit was made to assess the island, none of these features could be confirmed. The growth had closed in completely, and whatever stone survives, if any does, lies hidden beneath it.
