GRIANÁN OF AILEACH
The Grianán of Aileach translates from Irish as fort of the sun and testifies to its ancient origin as a place of pagan worship. Although considerably rebuilt in the 1870s, the site itself is believed to be 4,000 years old and the fort is noted on Ptolomy's map of 140 AD.
Built on a hilltop, it offers a panorama of Loughs Swilly and Foyle and Inch Island. Only the inner fort remains of the ancient concentric ramparts. The walls are several feet wide, terraced from within and with musty chambers penetrating deep into the structure. The site in antiquity is said to have been home to the royal dynasties of Ulster, including the O'Neills until the 12th century, and the burial ground of its most revered kings and warriors.
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