Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

Internal diam. 26m
On a gentle SE facing slope overlooking Brandon Bay are the very ruined remains of an enclosure, probably a cashel, and a hut-site. The enclosing wall survives only around the N half of the site. Here it is represented in part by a low, grass-grown bank with some stones visible, and in part by a discontinuous line of large stones, some standing upright to a height of .86m, some set on edge and others collapsed. At the E end, 2 parallel standing stones, which may mark the inner and outer wall faces, indicate a wall thickness of only .8m. A straight townland boundary wall now defines the SW sector of the site. The downslope portion of the interior is raised .6 to .7m above the field level beyond and the SE limit of the enclosure is marked by a scarp which extends in a straight line from the townland boundary at S to the enclosing wall at E. Several large boulders strewn along this scarp may formerly have formed part of the enclosing wall.
The interior is very disturbed but appears to have been on 2 levels. On the upper terrace, a circular hut-site abuts the enclosing bank at W. This is 4.3m in internal diameter and the drystone-built inner face survives to a maximum height of .58m. The E half of the wall is traceable only as a very slight grass-grown bank and the entrance must have been positioned in this sector.

The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 587. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 7 August 2013