Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

In rough mountain grazing, on SW-facing slope. Circular area (27m E-W; 26m N-S) enclosed by collapsed stone wall (H c. 0.6m; T 5m) topped by stone field boundary SW->SE. Break (Wth 3m) in collapsed wall to N. Entrance (Wth 2.7m) to S; scatter of large stones outside entrance may be remains of chevaux-de-frise. Interior slopes gently down to S. Low foundations of stone wall form arc (N->S) abutting W wall of cashel, enclosing area 6m N-S x 4.6m E-W; Hartnett (1939, 71-2, Fig. XXIV) recorded two turf-covered mounds of stones (H c. 1ft), one to E and one to W of this wall; mound to W no longer survives. Similar arc (NE->SW) abuts NW wall of cashel enclosing area 6m NE-SW x 6m NW-SE; not recorded by Hartnett (ibid.), may be remains of sheep shelter. Paving of loose stones (Wth 3m) inside cashel wall in SE quadrant. Roofless chamber (3.3m x 1.8m) to E of entrance, abutting inside of cashel wall, defined by stone wall (H 1.2m); extends E as lower, narrower chamber (L 3m; Wth 0.9m; H 0.94m) roofed with lintels. Souterrain (8917) in SW quadrant.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 3: Mid Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009