Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

Internal diam. 21m N-S, 27m E-W
This considerably disturbed caher is located in forestry on the top of a natural rise which is bounded on its E side by a small river. It appears to have been seriously interfered with since the mid-nineteenth century, when it was shown on the first edition of the OS map as a circular univallate enclosure. It is not marked on the second edition map. The S sector of the caher wall is built on an outcrop of rock and rises 1m on average above external ground level. The wall has mostly collapsed outwards, but stretches of the inner and outer basal facing, comprising lines of upright slabs, survive along its circuit. The wall width indicated by the present remains is only 1.2m. No definite evidence for an entrance is apparent.
The interior of the caher is heavily overgrown. Abutting the inner face of the enclosing wall at SE is a semicircular area outlined by a band of stone collapse. The area measures 6.25m N-S x 5.9m E-W, and the average width of the stony band is 1.2m. The entire NW quadrant of the site is artificially raised .9m above the level of the remainder. Close to the S edge of its upper surface is a row of .5m high slabs, set on edge, which delineates an L-shaped area measuring 3.4m N-S x 2.75m E-W. The purpose of this feature is unclear.
A substantial though crudely built wall is located 2.5m outside the caher's enclosing element at W. This is 13m long, 1.25m high and 2.8m wide. At its S end are the collapsed foundations of a small circular structure (KE106-053001-), 1.6m in internal diameter. It is not clear if these remains are contemporary with the caher.

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. 574. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 29 July 2013