Clochan

The National Monuments Service's description

Caher Murphy/Cathair Mhurfaí: This oval cashel (National Monument no. 156/1-5) is situated on the S slopes of Mount Eagle overlooking Dingle Bay. Much of its interior is occupied by a group of 5 roughly circular, conjoined clochauns, and a 6th irregularly-shaped structure. A souterrain passage extends from one of these huts to a chamber beneath the cashel wall. The site has been considerably restored by the OPW, and, during restoration work in the 19th century, an elaborate cross-slab was discovered; this is now housed in the NMI. A fragment of the upper stone of a rotary quern was also found lying loose within the cashel.

(1) This circular, drystone-built clochaun opens off the NW corner of the courtyard. There is possible evidence for a paved pathway between its entrance and that to the adjacent hut. This hut measures 5.4m in diameter internally and the corbelled wall stands to a maximum height of 1.75m. Directly N of the entrance there is a recess in the wall which may mark the former location of the cross-slab. This latter apparently acted as a jamb stone on this inner, N side of the entrance (Macalister 1899, 256).

The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 568. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 7 August 2013