<< Our Photo Pages >> Grianán of Ailech - Stone Fort or Dun in Ireland (Republic of) in Co. Donegal
Submitted by Anthony_Weir on Sunday, 28 July 2013 Page Views: 28597
Multi-periodSite Name: Grianán of Ailech Alternative Name: The Greenan, Grianán Ailighe, Grianan of AileachCountry: Ireland (Republic of) County: Co. Donegal Type: Stone Fort or Dun
Nearest Town: Letterkenny Nearest Village: Speenoge
Map Ref: C366197
Discovery Map Number: D7
Latitude: 55.023387N Longitude: 7.428509W
Condition:
5 | Perfect |
4 | Almost Perfect |
3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
0 | No data. |
-1 | Completely destroyed |
5 | Superb |
4 | Good |
3 | Ordinary |
2 | Not Good |
1 | Awful |
0 | No data. |
5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
4 | Short walk on a footpath |
3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
2 | A long walk |
1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
0 | No data. |
5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
0 | no data |
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I have visited· I would like to visit
sirius_b visited on 20th Sep 2023 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 5 The signposted "Old Church Visitor Centre" is permanently closed despite signs saying "Open every day". There is now an event location in the old church. If you ask at the adjacent bar you may still get access.
SteveC visited on 14th May 2010 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 5
jeffrep visited on 24th Apr 2009 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4
X-Ice visited on 11th Jul 1982 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 5
HChavez visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4
DrewParsons paulcall have visited here
Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 4.4 Ambience: 4.8 Access: 4.6
This is one of several monuments to be (latterly at any rate) associated with the sun (Grian in Irish). Around the imposing stone wall (up to 4.5 metres thick and 5 metres high) are the remains of 3 earthworks which presumably pre-date the fort, which may have been built as late as the 6th century. The walls were only 1.8 metres high before enthusiastic restoration was carried out; there were originally 2, not 4, stairways, and the terracing is obviously wrongly reconstructed. There are 2 wall-galleries entered from within the fort, which was the seat of the O’Neill sept of Aileach from maybe the 5th to the 12th century, and is mentioned in the Annals of Ulster as late as 1100 C.E.
Note: “Absolutely disgraceful scenes” as ancient fort and holy well are desecrated
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