Kilkerrin Battery Fort, Co. Clare

In the early 1800s, the British built half a dozen battery forts along the Shannon Estuary to repel a threatened invasion by Napoleonic forces. Kilkerrin Battery Fort, near the village of Labasheeda, is the best preserved of these, its stout walls have withstood the elements for over two centuries. Built between 1811 and 1814, the battery remained in use throughout much of the nineteenth century. Vegetables were grown by the soldiers in the surrounding field. The battery fell into disrepair after it was abandoned, and in 1973 the battery and the surrounding land was sold to a local farmer. Restoration work on the monument was undertaken in the 1980s by a local community group but the fort is in need of further attention.

With funding from the Heritage Council through the Creative Ireland Programme 2019, the Labasheeda Projects Group/ St. Kieran’s Community Group commissioned an ecological survey of Kilkerrin Battery Fort and immediate environs with community involvement to increase understanding of the fort’s ecological significance. Ecologist, Tony Nagle worked with the group. 

St Kieran’s Community Group has been in existence for over 25 years. It has successfully run the ‘Dan Furey Set Dancing Weekend’ for over 25 years. It also runs a Christmas Social every year, as well as the annual ‘Patricia Corbett 10km walk’ which has raised money for many good causes over the last 14 years. John O’Connell set up and runs the ‘Estuary Challenge Cycle’ and Steve McDonough is a local historian and gives annual talks during National Heritage Week. Manus McGee is involved with the local Tidy Towns and has completed projects for this group with funding from Clare County Council.