 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2021) |
Grianán Ailigh (Irish) | |
 Grianán of Aileach | |
  The Grianan of Aileach is in the Republic of Ireland (grey), near the border with Northern Ireland (cream) | |
| Alternative name | Greenan Ely |
|---|---|
| Location | County Donegal, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 55°01′26″N 7°25′39″W / 55.0238°N 7.427592°W |
| Type | Ringfort |
| Height | 5 metres (16 ft) |
| History | |
| Material | Stone |
| Founded | 6th century CE or earlier |
| Abandoned | 12th century CE |
| Periods | Iron Age–Middle Ages |
| Cultures | Gaelic |
| Associated with | Kings of Ailech |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1830s; 1870s |
| Archaeologists | George Petrie; Walter Bernard |
| Public access | Yes |
| Official name | Grianan of Aileach |
| Reference no. | 140[1] |
The Grianan of Aileach (/ˌɡriːnən əv ˈæljə(x)/ GREE-nən əv AL-yə(kh); Irish: Grianán Ailigh [ˌɟɾʲiənˠaːnˠ ˈalʲiː]), sometimes anglicised as Greenan Ely or Greenan Fort, is a hillfort atop the 244 metres (801 ft) high Greenan Mountain at Inishowen in County Donegal, Ireland. The main structure is a stone ringfort, thought to have been built by the Northern Uí Néill, in the sixth or seventh century CE;[2] although there is evidence that the site had been in use before the fort was built. It has been identified as the seat of the Kingdom of Ailech and one of the royal sites of Gaelic Ireland. The wall is about 4.5 metres (15 ft) thick and 5 metres (16 ft) high. Inside it has three terraces, which are linked by steps, and two long passages within it. Originally, there would have been buildings inside the ringfort. Just outside it are the remains of a well and a tumulus.
By the 12th century, the Kingdom of Ailech had become embattled and lost a fair amount of territory to the invading Normans. According to Irish literature, the ringfort was mostly destroyed by Muirchertach Ua Briain, King of Munster, in 1101.
According to Tony Nugent, the Grianan was also used as a Mass rock during the anti-Catholic religious persecution that began under Henry VIII and ended only with Catholic Emancipation in 1829.[3]
Substantial restoration work was carried out in 1870. Today, the site is protected as a national monument and is a tourist attraction.
- ^ "National Monuments of County Donegal in State Care" (PDF). heritageireland.ie. National Monument Service. p. 1. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ Bartlett, Thomas. A Military History of Ireland. p.37
- ^ Nugent, Tony (2013). Were You at the Rock? The History of Mass Rocks in Ireland. Liffey Press. pp. 128–130.