Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

Internal diam. 36m E-W, 29.7m N-S
This ruined cashel lies on the NW slopes of Croaghmarhin and contains the remains of 2 huts. The oval interior slopes markedly downhill to NW and is enclosed by a very ruined wall, constructed with large boulders. Where best preserved, the wall is 1.35m high and 1.95m wide. The SW sector is used as part of a NW-SE field fence and the upper courses here have been rebuilt. The entrance passage is located in the SE sector and is 3.3m long and 1.1 to 1.58m wide. It is lined with large stones, up to 1.15m high, and a very large slab, lying in the entrance, may have been a lintel. The best-preserved hut lies in the NW corner of the enclosure and the 2nd hut is located to S of this.

(1) (KE042-085001-) This circular, drystone-built structure lies on the SE side of an oval courtyard measuring 6.4m N-S x 5.5m E-W. The wall of the latter stands to a maximum height of .6m but is largely collapsed. The entrance passage is located in the N sector. It is 2.75m long and splays from 2m in width externally to .65m internally. The hut measures 3m N-S x 3.5m E-W internally and is not well preserved. However, the NE part of the wall stands almost to roof level and rises 1m above the collapse which fills the interior. The SW sector is largely destroyed. The W facing entrance is 1.5m long and c. 1m wide. The mound that abuts the outer face of the wall at N contains a roughly constructed drystone-built chamber of irregular shape and size. The latter is not now accessible but can be viewed through gaps in the flagged roof where some of the roofing slabs have partly collapsed; it is .6m high. The mound measures 4m E-W x 2m N-S.

(2) (KE042-085002-) This hut is circular in plan and measures c. 1.8m in diameter internally. The remains of the wall protrude only very slightly above the ground surface and it is not clear whether the visible stones represent the full width of the wall or only its inner face.

The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 542. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 7 August 2013