Mooghaun, Bronze Age hillfort in County Clare, Ireland
Mooghaun is a Bronze Age hillfort in County Clare, Ireland, made up of three concentric limestone stone walls built around a central area. The walls enclose separate inner spaces and together form one of the largest hillforts of its kind in the British Isles.
The site was built around 950 BC, near the start of the Late Bronze Age, and served as the center of a regional chiefdom. Over the centuries the site was gradually abandoned, though its stone walls survived largely intact.
Mooghaun sits on a wooded hill, and walking through the site means crossing three stone walls one after another. This layered layout gives a clear sense of how the space was once divided into separate zones, each with its own role.
The site is reached by a walking trail through woodland and entry is free of charge. Sturdy footwear is a good idea, as the ground can be uneven, especially after rain.
In the 19th century, a hoard of prehistoric gold objects was found close to the site, making it one of the largest finds of its kind ever recorded in Western Europe. The objects, known as the Mooghaun Hoard, are now kept at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin.
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