Poulacarran

3 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Poulacarran, from 6,950 m² (0.69 ha, 1.72 acres) to 968,310 m² (96.83 ha, 239.27 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 4 neighbouring parcels touch it.

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

No zone of a development plan covers Poulacarran 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.

No planning application touches the townland of Poulacarran in the national file, which goes back to 2010.

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
• Proposed Natural Heritage Area: Moneen Mountain 000054

Recorded monuments

• CL009-043 Ringfort - cashel
  Description

  At the S edge of an undulating plateau, with the land sloping steeply to the SE, and views E–S across a valley. In rough pasture, hazel and conifer plantation within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-032001-). Hachured on the 1842 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. Listed as ‘Enclosure’ in the RMP (1996). This rectangular cashel (43m NE–SW; 37m NW–SE) is defined by a double-faced stone wall (Wth 1.5–2.35m; int. H 0.2–0.6m; max. ext. H 0.5m) with an outer wall-face of horizontally laid stones. The inner wall-face is only visible at the NW; elsewhere this is obscured by wall collapse (max. Wth 3.5-5.2m; int. H 0.2–0.4m). At S the level of the interior is flush with the wall. Modern drystone walls are built over the cashel’s outer wall-face from NW to SE. A souterrain (CL009-043002-) lies in the N centre of the cashel and there is a small quarry-like depression (diam. c. 6.5m; D 2m) S of the centre. In the NE corner there is a corral (int. dims. 11m NE–SW; 8.8m NW–SE) of probable later date, the NW and NE sides are defined by the cashel wall. The SE and SW walls (Wth c. 1.5m; max. H 0.5m) of the corral incorporate several large stones. Poulcaragharush cashel (CL009-042002-) lies c. 136m to the NNW. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 25 January 2022

• CL009-043002 Souterrain
  Description

  Situated in the N centre of a rectangular cashel (CL009-043----), this NNE–SSW-oriented souterrain (L 6.9m; Wth 1.28–1.33m; max. D 1.15m) has a slight ‘lightning bolt’ Z-shape in plan, with a NNE–SSW section (L 2.9m) at the N, followed by a sharp turn to the E (L 0.75m), before continuing SSW (L 4m). There are loose stones on the bottom. This possibly natural feature appears to have been in the process of being developed into a souterrain, but the work was not completed. The following image has been uploaded: CL09-043002-_01.jpg View of souterrain from N. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 25 January 2022

• CL009-075001 Church
  Description

  Situated immediately W of a steep slope overlooking the Poulacarran valley. A rectangular undifferentiated structure orientated ENE-WSW (int. dims. 17.5m ENE-WSW; 6.33m NNW-SSE) of erratically coursed limestone blocks with good quoins. It has two phases of construction, the first at the end of the 12th or the early 13th century and a later 15th century phase. Most of the walls, the doorway, the E window and the embrasures in the S wall all belong to the earlier phase while elements of later fortification (a machicolation at the NW corner, the wall-walk and drain-holes) as well as the window opes (not the embrasures) in the S wall belong to the later period. The walls (H 4.1-4.2m; Wth 1.05m) seem to have been built as independent units up to the 1m level. This is most apparent on the inside of the SW angle where the vertical joints are clearly visible. A plinth visible under the S wall becomes more apparent towards the E due the slight slope in ground surface. This S wall has a pointed doorway (Wth 1.1m; H 2.1m) with a hood moulding and three orders, the central one of which has a keel moulding. Internally the doorway has a flat arch with traces of plank centring. There is a hanging eye on the W side and a draw-bar slot with a latch-stone above it on the E side. The W jamb has an incised consecration cross with expanded terminals. A rectangular stoup occupies the E ingoing. A fragment of a rotary quern is built into the inner face of the wall just above and to the E of the doorway. There are two windows towards the E end of the S wall, both of which have round-arched embrasures with dressed ingoings. The most westerly is a simple rectangular ope while the one to the E has an ogee head with hood moulding and decorated spandrels. The window in the E gable has a single lancet with a transom and the embrasure has been repaired with small stones. A probable 18th century altar tomb occupies the NE angle of the interior. Opposite the S doorway in the N wall there is evidence of a former opening (Wth 1.05m; H 1.3m). The straight sides are apparent but the head is irregular. At the E end of the interior of the N wall is a stone carving of the helmeted head of a soldier or knight, described in detail by Higgins (1992). The helmet covers the ears and the sides of the face. There were originally three heads in the N wall. The others depicted a king with a foliate crown and a woman with an elaborate headdress and are now missing (photos of all three in situ in Higgins 1994, 16). Four corbels (H 2.4m over present ground level) in the W wall indicate the former presence of an upper level. Traces of a belfry over the W wall were noted by Swinfen (1992, 9). The NW corner of the church has a corner machicolation which was conserved in 2017. At that time steps were revealed between the machicoulis and the gable ridge, between an inner and outer gable, providing a continuous wall-walk over the gable (Ua Cróinín 2017). Architectural fragments that had fallen were reinstated. Only two corbels remain at the W end of the N wall. The N and S walls have drain-holes above which are two openings placed c. 4m from the W end of the N and S walls. The machicoulis may indicate that this corner projected outside a high defensive wall vestiges of which can still be discerned near the western boundary wall (Ua Cronin 2017). The bowl of a font (CL009-075012-) with a grotesque head was noted near the altar (Higgins 1992, 21) and is now missing. Two elements from a set of medieval amulets called the ‘Nine Irons’ were found here (Higgins 1983, 75-83). Compiled by: Mary Tunney Date of upload: 27 April 2021

• CL009-075002 Graveyard
  Description

  In level pasture, just W of a steep slope overlooking the Poulacarran Valley to the E. Indicated and labelled 'Grave Yard' on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. This well-maintained, sub-rectangular graveyard (c. 37m ENE-WSW; c. 30m NNW-SSE), is enclosed along the E, S and W by a double-faced drystone wall built of undressed stones, with a medieval church (CL009-075001-) forming the N limits. There is an entrance near the W end of the S wall incorporating a possible coffin-resting stone. The few, marked graves are located mostly to the S of the church and include both uninscribed and inscribed headstones, the latter dating to modern times. Large (2011) noted two architectural fragments in the graveyard: portion of a carved arch stone and a possible window jamb stone. A settlement cluster (CL009-075005-) lies immediately to the NW and there is an unclassified cairn (CL009-075003-) c. 60m to the SE. The following image has been uploaded: CL009-075002-_01 Possible coffin-resting stone at entrance to graveyard (Photo: Michael Houlihan) References Large, S. 2011 A church and graveyard survey in County Clare. Database and photographic record. Clare County Council. Clare Heritage Forum. The Heritage Council. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 11 August 2022

• CL009-075003 Cairn - unclassified
  Description

  In pasture near the crest of a steep slope overlooking the Poulacarran Valley to the E. Hachured and labelled 'Carn' on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. Listed as 'Cairn' in the RMP (1996). This small rectangular cairn (8m N-S; 6m E-W; H 1-2m) is composed of loose field stones - with some coursed stones forming a corner (H 1.2m) at NW - and appears to be the result of - or to have been augmented by - relatively modern field clearance. However, Westropp (1900-1902, 134) recorded, ‘South of the church (CL009-075001-) is a small cairn, round which coffins are carried … .’ And this is possibly the cairn he was referring to? The practice was not recorded by the time of Swinfen's writing (1992, 9). Westropp (1906-1907, 460) further reported that a cist was covered by a cairn in Carran townland (see also Westropp 1898, 362), however, no cist is visible in this cairn. References Swinfen, A. 1992. Forgotten stones. Ancient church sites of the Burren and environs. Dublin. The Lilliput Press. Westropp, T.J. 1898 Prehistoric remains in the Burren, County Clare (Carran and Kilcorney). The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 8, 352-366. Westropp, T.J. 1900-1902 The cahers of County Clare: their names, features, and bibliography. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 6, 415-49. Westropp, T.J. 1906-1907 The cists, dolmens and pillars of the western half of the county of Clare. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 26, 447-72. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 17 August 2022

• CL009-075005 Settlement cluster
  Description

  In level pasture immediately NW of Carran Church (CL009-075001-) and Graveyard (CL009-075002-) overlooking the Poulacarran Valley to the E. Occupying an area of c. 2ha in two fields, separated by an ENE-WSW farm lane (which is recorded on the 1st ed. of the OS 6-inch map leading E to the valley ), with the N field in the townland of Poulcaragharush and the S field in Poulacarran townland. The foundations of six houses are visible (CL009-075006- to CL009-075011-) as well as traces of two road/trackways (CL009-075013- and CL009-075014-) along with several field boundaries and drystone walls that are no longer maintained but are likely to be contemporary with the houses. A shallow (D 0.5m), flat-bottomed rectangular area (int. dims. 11m N-S; 7m E-W) with well-defined W, N and E edges may have been a quarry. Five small cairns are visible to the S (CL009-075003- and CL009-075015-), SW (CL009-075016- and CL009-075017-) and just W (CL009-075018-) of Carran Graveyard. While they may be the result of – or have been augmented by - field clearance, it’s possible that some (in particular CL009-075003- and CL009-075018-) may have functioned as penitential stations associated with Carran Church? Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 24 August 2022

• CL009-075009 House - indeterminate date
  Description

  Part of a Settlement Cluster (CL009-075005-) in level pasture immediately NW of Carran Church (CL009-075001-) and Graveyard (CL009-075002-) overlooking the Poulacarran Valley to the E. Situated at the centre of the settlement of six houses (CL009-075005- to CL009-075011-). This rectangular structure (int. dims. 8m E-W; 3.2m N-S; ext. dims. 9.3m E-W; 4.4m N-S) is defined by the poorly preserved remains of a stone wall, which is most clearly traceable at the E end. Much of the N, W and internal walls have been removed and elsewhere the lines of the walls are only survive as a low earth and stone bank. A N-S internal wall divides an E room (int. 3.8m E-W) from a W room (int. 3.1m E-W). A road/trackway (CL009-075014-) extends S from the SW corner of the house. There is another house (CL009-075008-) c. 7.5m to the NW. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 24 August 2022

• CL009-075010 House - indeterminate date
  Description

  Part of a Settlement Cluster (CL009-075005-) in level pasture immediately NW of Carran Church (CL009-075001-) and Graveyard (CL009-075002-) overlooking the Poulacarran Valley to the E. One of six houses (CL009-075005- to CL009-075011-), this one is situated in the SE part of the settlement. A small, almost square structure (int. dims. 4.9m ENE-WSW; 4.2m NNW-SSE; ext. dims. 6.3m ENE-WSW; 5.6m NNW-SSE) is defined by low, narrow walls (Wth c. 0.6-0.8m; max. H 0.5m). The W end of the SSE wall is missing. Some 5.4m S of the S-wall, and almost parallel with it, a grass-covered bank/wall runs for c. 14.5m E into the N wall of another house (CL009-075011-). Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 24 August 2022

• CL009-075011 House - indeterminate date
  Description

  Situated in the SE part of a Settlement Cluster (CL009-075005-) in level pasture immediately NW of Carran Church (CL009-075001-) and Graveyard (CL009-075002-) overlooking the Poulacarran Valley to the E. one of six houses (CL009-075005- to CL009-075011-) in the settlement. This rectangular structure (int. dims. 8.3m ENE-WSW; 3.8m NNW-SSE; ext. dims. 9.5m ENE-WSW; 5.2m NNW-SSE) is defined by a grass-covered wall (Wth 0.6m; max. H 0.7m at NE corner) with an entrance (Wth 1m) in the N-wall. This house shares the same orientation as the N wall of the adjacent medieval church (CL009-075001-), just 3.7m to the S. A grass-covered bank/wall extends W (c. 14.5m) from the house's N wall and runs just S of a nearby house (CL009-075010-). The house is partly enclosed by a curvilinear drystone wall to the W and N. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 24 August 2022

• CL009-075012 Font
  Description

  Formerly located in Carran Church (CL009-075001-) and described in 1839: ’A broken stone altar remains under this [E] window and on its left corner, a Holy Water Font of curious formation.’ (O’Donovan and Curry, 1839, 95). Recorded by Higgins (1994, 17-18) who described the bowl of a font, lying in rubble to the left of the altar as the sub-pyramidal top of a narrow, free-standing font. There was no trace of a shaft or base. The bowl was almost complete except for one corner that was broken away. It was decorated with an unusual grotesque head with an extended neck carved in high relief. The facial features are exaggerated and there is a loose folded garment around the neck. Also unusual is the rectangular internal shape of the bowl; such bowls are often circular, sometimes square and occasionally, though rarely, faceted. The remainder is decorated with small precise pocking, a type of tooling typical of the 15th and early 16th century. References Higgins, J. 1994 Further medieval sculpture at Carran Church, County Clare and its significance. The Other Clare 18, 16-19. O’Donovan J. and Curry E., Ordnance Survey Letters, Part 1. Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the County of Clare, collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1939. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Mary Tunney Date of upload: 24 August 2022

• CL009-075014 Road - road/trackway
  Description

  Part of a Settlement Cluster (CL009-075005-) in level pasture immediately NW of Carran Church (CL009-075001-) and Graveyard (CL009-075002-) overlooking the Poulacarran Valley to the E. Running (traceable L c. 42m; Wth 6m) parallel with the main road, S from the SW corner of a house (CL009-075009-) and defined by grass-covered walls. Just to the SE its S-end, there is a rectangular, flat-bottomed quarry (int. dims. 11m N-S; 7m E-W; D c. 0.5m) with well-defined W, N and E sides. A second road/trackway (CL009-075013-) lies to the N. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 24 August 2022

• CL009-075015 Cairn - unclassified
  Description

  In level, rough grazing to the SSE of Carran Church (CL009-075001-) and Graveyard (CL009-075002-) overlooking the Poulacarran Valley to the E, and also associated with a Settlement Cluster (CL009-075005-) concentrated just NW of Carran Church. One of five small cairns visible to the SSE (CL009-075003- and CL009-075015-), SW (CL009-075016- and CL009-075017-) and at W (CL009-075018-) of Carran Graveyard. While they may be the result of – or may have been augmented by - field clearance, it’s possible that some, at least, (in particular CL009-075003- and CL009-075018-) may have functioned as penitential stations associated with Carran Church? Westropp (1900-1902, 134) recorded, ‘South of the church (CL009-075001-) is a small cairn, round which coffins are carried …’ This is likely to be the ‘Carn’ recorded on the OS 6-inch maps (CL009-075003-) The practice was not recorded by the time of Swinfen's writing (1992, 9). Westropp (1906-1907, 460) further reported that a cist was covered by a cairn in Carran townland (see also Westropp 1898, 362), however, no cist is visible in any of these five cairns. CL009-075015- was recorded by Dowd, Crumlish and O’Gorman (2007, 36-37: Cairn D) as situated c. 20m to the N of another (CL009-075003-) and comprises a low, circular cairn (diam. 4m; H 0.5m) covered in moss and grass, with a large horizontal slab (L c. 1m; Wth c. 0.3m) lying on the SE sector. References Dowd, A. Crumlish B. O’Gorman D. 2007. A landscape survey of Carran Church in the Burren, Co. Clare. Unpublished thesis for the Masters in Landscape Archaeology, NUI Galway. Swinfen, A. 1992. Forgotten stones. Ancient church sites of the Burren and environs. Dublin. The Lilliput Press. Westropp, T.J. 1898 Prehistoric remains in the Burren, County Clare (Carran and Kilcorney). The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 8, 352-366. Westropp, T.J. 1906-1907 The cists, dolmens and pillars of the western half of the county of Clare. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 26, 447-72. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 25 August 2022

• CL009-075017 Cairn - unclassified
  Description

  In level, rough grazing to the SSE of Carran Church (CL009-075001-) and Graveyard (CL009-075002-) overlooking the Poulacarran Valley to the E, and also associated with a Settlement Cluster (CL009-075005-) concentrated just NW of the Carran Church. One of five small cairns visible to the SSE (CL009-075003- and CL009-075015-), SW (CL009-075016- and CL009-075017-) and at W (CL009-075018-) of Carran Graveyard. While they may be the result of – or may have been augmented by - field clearance, it’s possible that some, at least, (in particular CL009-075003- and CL009-075018-) may have functioned as penitential stations associated with Carran Church? Westropp (1900-1902, 134) recorded, ‘South of the church (CL009-075001-) is a small cairn, round which coffins are carried …’ This is likely to be the ‘Carn’ recorded on the OS 6-inch maps (CL009-075003-) The practice was not recorded by the time of Swinfen's writing (1992, 9). Westropp (1906-1907, 460) further reported that a cist was covered by a cairn in Carran townland (see also Westropp 1898, 362), however, no cist is visible in any of these five cairns. CL009-075017- was recorded by Dowd, Crumlish and O’Gorman (2007, 33: Cairn A) as a slightly oblong cairn (max. diam. 5.7m E-W; H 0.3-0.4m) composed of relatively large stones (L 0.3-0.5m) with an upright limestone slab (H0.85m) on the S-edge of the cairn. See attached CL009-075017-_1: their photo from S, with Carran Church (CL009-075001-) and Graveyard (CL009-075002-) in background References Dowd, A. Crumlish B. O’Gorman D. 2007. A landscape survey of Carran Church in the Burren, Co. Clare. Unpublished thesis for the Masters in Landscape Archaeology, NUI Galway. Swinfen, A. 1992. Forgotten stones. Ancient church sites of the Burren and environs. Dublin. The Lilliput Press. Westropp, T.J. 1898 Prehistoric remains in the Burren, County Clare (Carran and Kilcorney). The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 8, 352-366. Westropp, T.J. 1906-1907 The cists, dolmens and pillars of the western half of the county of Clare. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 26, 447-72. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 28 September 2022

• CL009-075018 Cairn - unclassified
  Description

  In level, rough grazing, and overlain by the W-wall of Carran Graveyard (CL009-075002-) and also associated with a Settlement Cluster (CL009-075005-) concentrated just NW of Carran Church (CL009-075001-). One of five small cairns visible to the SSE (CL009-075003- and CL009-075015-), SW (CL009-075016- and CL009-075017-) and at W (CL009-075018-) of Carran Graveyard. While they may be the result of – or may have been augmented by - field clearance, it’s possible that some, at least, (in particular CL009-075003- and CL009-075018-) may have functioned as penitential stations associated with Carran Church? Westropp (1900-1902, 134) recorded, ‘South of the church (CL009-075001-) is a small cairn, round which coffins are carried …’ This is likely to be the ‘Carn’ recorded on the OS 6-inch maps (CL009-075003-) The practice was not recorded by the time of Swinfen's writing (1992, 9). Westropp (1906-1907, 460) further reported that a cist was covered by a cairn in Carran townland (see also Westropp 1898, 362), however, no cist is visible in any of these five cairns. Recorded by Dowd, Crumlish and O’Gorman (2007, 38: Cairn E) as a low (H0.6m) grass-covered circular cairn (min. diam. 9m N-S) overlain by the later graveyard wall and poorly preserved to the E of the wall, within the graveyard. See attached CL009-075018-_1: a copy of their photo, from W, with Carran Church (CL009-075001-) and Graveyard (CL009-075002-) in background References Dowd, A. Crumlish B. O’Gorman D. 2007. A landscape survey of Carran Church in the Burren, Co. Clare. Unpublished thesis for the Masters in Landscape Archaeology, NUI Galway. Swinfen, A. 1992. Forgotten stones. Ancient church sites of the Burren and environs. Dublin. The Lilliput Press. Westropp, T.J. 1898 Prehistoric remains in the Burren, County Clare (Carran and Kilcorney). The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 8, 352-366. Westropp, T.J. 1906-1907 The cists, dolmens and pillars of the western half of the county of Clare. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 26, 447-72. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 28 September 2022

• CL009-077001 Ringfort - cashel
  Description

  In rough pasture on a slight rise in the floor of Poulacarran Valley, with quarry-like depressions immediately to S and W. Hachured on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. Listed as ‘Rectangular enclosure’ in the RMP (1996). This subrectangular cashel (23.5m E-W; c. 23m N-S) is defined by a double-faced wall (Wth 1.9m; H 0.3-1.2m), except at S where only a stony bank (Wth 3-3.5m; H 0.3m) is extant. A later drystone wall is built over the cashel perimeter at S and E. In the SW interior there is a relatively large rectangular corral (10m E-W; 6m N-S) defined by the cashel wall at W and S, and a wall (Wth 0.6-1m; H 0.4-0.8m) of loose boulders at N and E. A fulacht fia (CL009-078002-) lies c. 53m to the ENE. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 12 April 2022

• CL009-078002 Fulacht fia
  Description

  On level ground on the floor of Poulacarran Valley, in pasture with a steep slope rising immediately to the W. The area is seasonally inundated by a turlough. Reported to the National Monuments Service by Tom Coffey (SMR file). A circular grass-covered mound (diam. 10m; H 0.3m) of soft clay, quite noticeable above the floor of the turlough. This is likely to be a fulacht fia that has been silted over. A cashel (CL009-077001-) lies c. 53m to the WSW. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 12 April 2022

• CL009-081 Cliff-edge fort
  Description

  At the W edge of a NE-SW shelf covered by hazel wood, overlooking the Poulacarran and Eanty valleys from SW to NE. Hachured on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. This cliff-edge fort (23m NW-SE) backs onto a cliff (H c. 20m) at NW (L 30.7m) and is defined by a stone wall (est. Wth 2-2.6m; int. H 0.6-1m; ext. H 1-2m) on all sides except at the cliff edge. It is surrounded by an outer enclosure (CL009-081002-). The outer wall-face, best preserved at N, is made of large horizontally laid blocks. However, both inner and outer wall-faces are denuded, largely covered by stone spill (total Wth 7-9m; int. H 0.6-1m; ext. H 1-1.5m) and overgrown. During an inspection in 1997 there were no visible remains of a slab-lined and lintelled entrance at SE which had been destroyed shortly before a visit by Westropp (1911, 360), nor of two vertical joints he observed in the outer wall-face at N (ibid., 359). A modern drystone structure (c. 4.7m NE-SW; 4m NW-SE) is built on the wall spill at NE. A modern drystone wall (H 0.5m; Wth 0.8m) is built along the cliff-edge at NW. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 12 April 2022

• CL009-081002 Enclosure
  Description

  Surrounding a cliff-edge fort (CL009-081----) from N to W, on a shelf covered by hazel wood, overlooking the Poulacarran and Eanty valleys from SW to NE; the land slopes almost vertically (H c. 20m) immediately to the NW. Indicated on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. Westropp (1911, 360) considered this ‘slight, defaced structure’ to be ‘either very late or rudely built’. This hazel-covered suboval enclosure (c. 95m NNE-SSW; c. 54m WNW-ESE) is defined by a double-faced stone wall (Wth at S 1.4m; H 0.6-1m) with internal and external stone spill. Although the stones are moss-covered, the wall does not look ancient. The interior slopes gently to E and S. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 12 April 2022

• CL009-082001 Ringfort - cashel
  Description

  On the floor of Poulacarran Valley in hazel wood, at the W edge of a NE-SW ravine (H c. 5m). Hachured on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. This hazel-covered subcircular cashel (20.5m E-W; 19.6m N-S) is defined by a stone wall (Wth c. 1.2m; int. H 0.6-0.8m; ext. H 1-2m). The outer wall-face (Wth 0.7-1.2m), made of horizontally laid stones, rises 0.4-1m above the rest of the wall; it is best preserved at N and E, while at W it has been rebuilt with loose drystone walling. The lower courses of the outer wall-face and the entire inner wall-face are obscured by stone spill (total Wth 3-4.5m). The entrance (Wth 0.9m) at NNE is lined by upright stone slabs (H 1.2-1.45m; Wth 1.2m; T 0.3-0.6m). Westropp (1898, 363) recorded a fallen lintel (L 1.72m; Wth 0.91m; T 0.45m) here. He (ibid.) also described an annexe enclosure adjoining the cashel at N, with a “souterrain”—perhaps the cause for Robinson (1977) also recording a souterrain in this cashel. However, no such features were identified on inspection in 1997. The following image has been uploaded: CL009-213002-_01.jpg Drawing of entrance (Westropp 1898, 362) Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 12 April 2022

• CL009-083 Ringfort - cashel
  Description

  On a bedrock knoll covered by hazel wood, on a shelf overlooking the Poulacarran and Eanty valleys from SW to NE. A cliff rises immediately to SE, and ravines to S and N. Hachured on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. This overgrown subrectangular cashel (25m NNW-SSE; 24.3m ENE-WSW) is defined by a double-faced wall (H c. 1.7-2m; Wth 1.3-1.4m) which is best preserved at NNW-SW, its outer face incorporating large horizontally laid slabs. Wall rubble has fallen down the slopes outside the cashel, while it has also collected on the inside (Wth 0.7-2.7m). The interior slopes to S, with a house (CL009-083002-) at E. A standing stone (CL009-083003-) lies c. 41m to the NNW. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 12 April 2022

• CL009-083002 House - indeterminate date
  Description

  Situated in the E interior of a cashel (CL009-083----), c. 3m to W of the cashel wall’s rubble spill, this rectangular house (8.7m NW-SE; 3.6m NE-SW) is defined by stone walls (max. H 0.8m; Wth not discernible). There is an entrance gap (Wth 0.7m) in the NE wall, 1.7m from its SE corner. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 12 April 2022

• CL009-083003 Standing stone
  Description

  On a shelf covered by dense undergrowth, overlooking the Poulacarran and Eanty valleys from SW to NE; the land slopes steeply c. 38m to NW. Noted by Westropp (1898, 360) as a ‘fantastic rock, somewhat resembling a human figure’, locally called Farbrega (fear bréagach; ‘false man’). An upright limestone slab (H 2m; Wth 0.8m; T 0.6m) with a rounded, pointed top and well-rounded edges, oriented N-S. Its base may be set into a gryke. It is integrated into a NW-SE drystone field wall. A cashel (CL009-083----) lies c. 41m to the SSE. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 12 April 2022

• CL010-312 Fulacht fia
  Description

  On a broad terrace on the lower SW-facing slopes of Knockanes hill. A kidney-shaped grass-covered mound (10.5m NNE-SSW; 8m ESE-WNW; max. H 0.8m at S) of limestone fragments in black soil, noted in the field by Jane O’Shaughnessy. The mound curves around a shallow U-shaped hollow (c. 2m N-S; c. 2m E-W) at ESE, opening onto a spring which rises from beneath low bedrock and flows to S.  The S arc of the mound is highest and best defined, with a few large stones protruding on the perimeter at SE and from the top at S; elsewhere the mound has a low profile, barely rising above surrounding ground level at N-NE.   Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Jane O'Shaughnessy   Date of upload: 5 November 2025

Architectural heritage

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

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

About 1 in 5 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

Susceptibility moderately high, moderately low, low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map.

Terrain model

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

Flooding

The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both 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 Poulacarran with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Clare.

Name

Poulacarran

Area

1,286,338 m² (128.63 ha, 317.86 acres)

Civil parish

Carran, and its townlands

Barony

Burren

Electoral division

Castletown, the unit of the census

Neighbouring townlands

Ballyganner North, Cahermackirilla, Carran, Iskancullin, Poulcaragharush

Placenames

Poulacarran 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.