Gortaclare

20 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Gortaclare, from 304 m² to 1,047,630 m² (104.76 ha, 258.88 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary. 12 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland as DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings, or as GeoJSON or KML.

No zone of a development plan covers Gortaclare in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply to each application.

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

• 25 Mar 2025N/a

  to construct a building with rooms for physical fitness and recreational sessions, connect to existing sewerage system and ancillary site works

  Permission · Clare County Council, 2587

• 7 Sept 2023Conditional

  to construct a building with rooms for physical fitness and recreational sessions, connect to existing sewerage system and all other associated and ancillary site works

  Permission · Clare County Council, 23482

• 26 Apr 2023Conditional

  for development, the development consists of the construction of an extension to the rear of existing dwelling house and associated site works

  Permission · Clare County Council, 23247

• 10 Mar 2023Conditional

  to construct a Walking /Running Track with Lighting and associated site works.

  Permission · Clare County Council, 2360058

• 10 Feb 2021Conditional

  to construct an Indoor Hall, Gym, Wall ball, Running track and associated works

  Outline permission · Clare County Council, 2194

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

• Special Area of Conservation: Moneen Mountain SAC 000054
• Special Area of Conservation: East Burren Complex SAC 001926
• Proposed Natural Heritage Area: East Burren Complex 001926
• Proposed Natural Heritage Area: Turloughnagullaun 000071
• Proposed Natural Heritage Area: Moneen Mountain 000054

Recorded monuments

• CL006-039 Enclosure
  Description

  Situated on level ground E of a farmyard. Listed as ‘Enclosure’ in the SMR (1992) and the RMP (1996). A small enclosure is indicated beside a farmhouse on the 1916 OS 6-inch map. On inspection in 1997 this was found to be a small rectangular haggard (22m x 23m) defined by a single well-built drystone wall. Compiled by: Mary Tunney Date of upload: 8 February 2016

• CL006-040 Ringfort - unclassified
  Description

  On a low knoll of improved pastureland. Hachured and named ‘site of Gortaclare Fort’ on the 1842 ed. of the OS 6-inch map but only named on the 1915 ed. map. Listed as ‘Enclosure’ in the SMR (1992) and the RMP (1996). There are no visible remains of this monument at ground level but the entrance to a fine souterrain (CL006-040002-) marks its location. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Ros Ó Maoldúin Date of upload: 12 May 2021

• CL006-040002 Souterrain
  Description

  On a low knoll of improved pastureland. Formerly within a ringfort (CL006-040----) of which there is no visible trace at ground level. Indicated and named cave on the 1915 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. A three-chambered souterrain with drystone sidewalls and upper corbelled course supporting massive roof lintels. The souterrain is entered through its NE corner at the E end of chamber 1, through a narrow clay-filled opening under its roof lintel. The infilled clay obscures the original end of this chamber which was probably also the original entrance. Chamber 1 (L 7.6m; Wth 1.35m; H 1.9m) is orientated E–W. A long narrow creep (L 4.1m; Wth 0.78m; H 0.98m) leads S from W end of chamber 1 to chamber 2. At the S end of the creep jambstones narrow the ope to only 0.3m in width. Chamber 2 (L 9.4m; Wth 1.55m; H 1.8m) runs N–S, in line with the first creep, and at its S end a second creep (L 1.55m; Wth 0.75m; H 1.1m) leads E to the third and smallest chamber (L 4.65m; Wth 1.55m; H 1.85m). The second creep has a sillstone placed midway along its length. Most of the stone in the souterrain is limestone but the sill and two jambstones are conglomerates. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Ros Ó Maoldúin Date of upload: 27 July 2021

• CL006-041 Hut site
  Description

  On a gentle NW-facing slope at the W edge of a heather-clad plateau broken by several shallow gullies running E–W and N–S. Named ‘Creggawarraga’ on the 1842 and 1915 eds. of the OS 6-inch maps. O’Donovan in 1839 (Comber 1997, 31) gives the name as ‘Creg an Aonaigh, the Crag of the Fair’ and the ‘warraga’ element suggests a market or gathering place. O’Donovan (ibid.) recorded ‘several small circles of stones’ at this location of which there are no visible traces at ground level. The site is marked by a small rectangular drystone-built cairn (H 1.4m; L 1.8m; Wth 0.8m) likely of relatively recent origin. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Ros Ó Maoldúin Date of upload: 27 July 2021

• CL006-081 Fulacht fia
  Description

  To N of a small E-flowing stream on low-lying level pastureland from which a low but steep-sided ridge rises to S. A low, oval, grass-covered mound of burnt stone (11.4m E–W; 8.2m N–S; H max. 0.5m) with no obvious trough area. It is truncated at the W end by a roadside wall and a N–S depression across the centre caused by livestock reveals its composition. Stones from field clearance have been dumped on its W end. There are three more fulachtaí fia (CL006-081002-, CL006-081003- and CL006-081004-) across the adjacent stream between 5 and 20m away. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Ros Ó Maoldúin Date of upload: 29 September 2021

• CL006-081002 Fulacht fia
  Description

  To S of a small E-flowing stream on low-lying level pastureland from which a low but steep-sided ridge rises to S. An oval mound of burnt stone (12.1m E–W; 7.8m N–S; H 1.1m) with a slight indentation at the E end of the N side probably indicating a trough area. Livestock have disturbed the N side of the mound revealing the composition. There are three more fulachtaí fia in this cluster, one 5m to the N on the other side of the stream (CL006-081001-) and two more, 5m to the E (CL006-081003-) and 15m (CL006-081004-) to the S. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Ros Ó Maoldúin Date of upload: 29 September 2021

• CL006-081003 Fulacht fia
  Description

  To the S of a small E-flowing stream on low-lying level pastureland from which a low but steep-sided ridge rises to S. A small, circular, grass-covered mound of burnt stone (3.2m N–S; 3m E–E; H 0.9m). The E end is overgrown with briar and thorn. There are three more fulachtaí fia in this cluster, one 10m to the N on the other side of the stream (CL006-081001-), another 5m to the W (CL006-081002-) and the final one 10m to the SW (CL006-081004-). Compiled by: Mary Tunney Date of upload: 29 September 2021

• CL006-081004 Fulacht fia
  Description

  To the S of a small E-flowing stream on low-lying level pastureland from which a low but steep-sided ridge rises to S. A classic horseshoe-shaped burnt mound (11.6m NE–SW; Wth 4.7m; H 0.9m) open to the W. A livestock track reveals its composition. There are three more fulachtaí fia in this cluster, two (CL006-081002- and CL006-081003-) are c. 6m to the N and one (CL006-081001-) is c. 13m NE on the N side of the stream. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Ros Ó Maoldúin Date of upload: 29 September 2021

• CL006-095 Mass-rock
  Description

  At leading W edge of terrace on a steep W-facing slope of rough crag and patchy grazing. An oval hollow (c. 45m NE-SW; c. 30m NW-SE) is indicated on the 1842 ed. of the OS 6-inch map and named ‘Poulataggart’. Named ‘Mass Rock’ on Robinson’s map (1977). The mass-rock was not located during an inspection in 1997. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Ros Ó Maoldúin Date of upload: 29 September 2021

• CL006-183 Enclosure
  Description

  On a W-facing slope towards the summit of Gortaclare Mountain and within an extensive field system (CL006-042001-). An oval enclosure (c. 20m NE-SW; c. 15m NW-SE) defined by a stone wall (Wth c. 1.6m) NW-SW. Visible on Digital Globe (2011-2013) and noted by Ros Ó Maoldúin. Compiled by: Mary Tunney Date of upload: 23 November 2021

• CL006-242 Ringfort - cashel
  Description

  On a W-facing slope at the SW foot of Gortaclare Mountain and within a field system (CL006-042001-) extending all over the plateau. A square enclosure (c. 25m NW-SE) defined by a mostly grassed-over stone wall visible on OSi Aerial Premium (2012-2018). Compiled by: Mary Tunney Date of upload: 7 December 2021

• CL006-245 Fulacht fia
  Description

  On a broad terrace on the upper NW-facing slopes of Gortaclare Mountain, abutting the base of a steeply rising rocky scarp. Semicircular mound (c. 15m N−S; c. 12m E−W; H 1.2m at N, 1.7m at NW, 0.6m at S) with a broad central hollow (4.5m N−S; 3m E−W). The mound is composed of a dense concentration of angular limestone fragments in dark grey/black soil. It is asymmetrical in appearance: the N arm is higher and more substantial with a broadly slumped external slope (H 1.7m) at NW and pronounced internal slope (H 0.8m) into the central depression; the S arm is lower (ext. H 0.6m) and less well defined. The central hollow is closed at its mouth by the rising rocky face of the bluff, and at the time of visit no spring or water source was evident here, although there was an area of damp ground at the SE edge of the mound, and a small muddy wet area, roughly outlined by a gapped ring of stones, immediately to N of the mound. A few boulders lie in the base of the trough hollow, possible tumble from the slope above. The following images have been uploaded: CL006-245----_01.jpg View from N CL006-245----_02.jpg View from upslope at NE CL006-245----_03.jpg View from S Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 9 November 2021

Architectural heritage

No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands in the townland of Gortaclare.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Radon

At the centre of the townland of Gortaclare, about 1 in 5 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

The 1:50,000 map rates the landslide susceptibility here as high, moderately high, moderately low, low, partly inferred.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Gortaclare.

Flooding

The Office of Public Works publishes its flood maps on floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency, and Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland, both under CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

No address of the register names Gortaclare with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Clare.

Name

Gortaclare

Area

2,921,494 m² (292.15 ha, 721.92 acres)

Civil parish

Oughtmama, and its townlands

Barony

Burren

Electoral division

Oughtmama, the unit of the census

Census 2022

152 people lived in 59 households in the Oughtmama electoral division. 88% of households owned their home. 36% of homes were built since 2001. 16% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 9% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Aghawinnaun, Clab, Coolnatullagh, Coolnatullagh, Deelin Beg, Deelin More, Gortboyheen, Rannagh West, Turlough

Placenames

Gortaclare on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address. Old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.