Grianan of Aileach
Grianan of Aileach
The Grianan of Aileach (also spelled Ailech:Irish: Grianan of Ailigh is a group of histoirc monuments in County Donegal, Ireland built on the hill of Grianan which is 244 metres high. Most writers have identified the site as being the great "royal fort" of Aileach. The main monument is that of an Iron Age stone Fortress.
The Grianan is located on the western edge of a smail group of hills that lie between the upper reaches of Lough Swilly and Lough Foyle.
The ruins of the castle itself are described as being a circular wall enclosing an area of 23.6 metres (77ft 6in) in diameter. The wall had a height of 1.8 metres (6ft) with a breadth varying from 4.6 to 3.5 metres
The word Grianan means sunny place.
Site Today
The town of Burt is the nearest community and the fortress stands mainly intact in so far as its main walls and features are concerned. Portions of the fortress were destroyed over time but much was rebuilt in the nineteenth century with a view towards retaining the historic nature and aesthetics of the fortress. The site is now owned by the Irish Goverment. For more information and a photo please click on the below link
http://bit.ly/9VjcJ3