Standing on the southern cliff edge of Inis Mór, with windswept grey limestone at your back and a sheer vertical drop to the steely Atlantic crashing below, you could be forgiven for imagining that civilisation was wiped out long ago and that this lonely outpost is the site of the last battle between land and crashing sea. Dún Dúchathair, or the Black Fort, is not Aran's star attraction. When you arrive on the pier you'll watch a boatful of tourists disappear up the hill on bicycles, buses and horse-drawn carts towards the better-known Dún Aonghasa. Read more
The Aran Islands in Galway Bay, Ireland, are the location of ancient coastal forts. Dun Aengus (also Dun Angus and Dun Aonghusa) is located on Inish-more, the largest of the three Aran Islands. Sited on top of towering 90m high cliffs it is acknowledged to be one of the finest prehistoric monuments in Western Europe. Built between 900 BCE - 500 CE, the fort consists of three concentric stone enclosures. Its legendary owner, Aonghusa, was a chief of the Fir Bolg who are said to have been the first inhabitants of the island. After the Battle of Moytura they fled first to Meath and then to Connaught and settled on lands along the western seaboard, including the Aran Islands. The Firbolgs later lost the islands to the Eoghanacta of Munster.
Dun Duchathair, (The Black Fort) is also found on top of 30m high cliffs on the island of Inish-more. The fort has been termed a promontory fort because of its location. However, sea erosion has eroded away a large area of the island and all that is left is a small portion of the fort left on a promontory. Dun Duchathair was a originally normal Celtic fort situated some distance away from the sea. The fort contains within its circumference a number of ancient stone huts.