Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

Marked as a circular enclosure on the first edition of the OS map, this site survives as a roughly circular platform, 28.6m N-S x 31.2m E-W, located on the E bank of the Cottoners river on the lower NW slopes of Skregbeg mountain. A field boundary borders the N sector of the site, which is raised on average 1.7m above surrounding ground level. The site increases to 3.5m high at W. There is no trace of an enclosing bank, though the site is remembered locally as a 'fort' and is reputed to contain a souterrain (KE064-016001-). The souterrain may be evidenced by a number of small inaccessible openings which mark the interior of the site, the largest of which measures .5m x .2m. Numerous stones are scattered about the surface of the Interior and appear to relate to its use as a children's burial ground (local information). This is probably the site called ‘Glencuttaun Fort’/Lios Gleann Chotáin in the OSNB, where it is described as 'a fort, which is used as a burying ground for children' (KE064-016002-) (Ó Cíobháin 1978, 17).

The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 673. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 29 July 2013