Clochan

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on the lower W slopes of Ballysitteragh mountain, bivallate rath KE043-081---- contains the remains of at least 2 hut-sites and a possible souterrain.

(1) (KE043-081002-) This is a circular clochaun measuring 4.6m N-S x 4.2m E-W internally. The corbelled, drystone-built wall is preserved to a maximum height of 1.95m. The lintelled entrance faces W, in line with that of the ringfort. It is 2m long and .8 to 1.05m wide, but is blocked to within .46m of its roof. The entrance has previously been stated to face E (OSM) or NE (Du Noyer), but, unless these portions of the wall have been completely rebuilt, these accounts must be incorrect. The structure is divided internally by a later wall, probably to convert it into a sheep-shelter. The main wall bulges outwards at S to accommodate a small drystone-built wall-chamber which is entered through a lintelled opening at the base of the inner wall-face. The opening is .6m wide and .48m high but the chamber is not now accessible. The outer-face of the wall is stepped at this point, the roof of the wall-chamber lying .6m below the top of the wall. Chatterton (1839, 165-8) provided a detailed description of an extensive souterrain which opened off the wall directly opposite the entrance, but it is not definite that it is to this site that she refers. However, it is possible that the stony platform conceals such a feature and that some of the isolated stretches of wall-facing are related to it.

The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 323. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 6 August 2013