What is recorded here

Cahernapeasta is a fairy fort on a level shelf above the Ardsheelhane river valley in County Kerry, Ireland. Its stone wall still stands about a metre high around most of the circle, though the northeast section has been levelled and may have hidden the entrance. Inside, a faint semicircular band of stones suggests a small hut once occupied the northern half. The name Cathair na Péiste invites mischief, as if the fortress belongs less to people than to the strange lives the valley still keeps.

Internal diam. 22.5m N-S Cahernapeasta/Cathair na Péiste: This caher is located on a level shelf on the E side of the Ardsheelhane river valley, overlooking almost the entire length of the valley to SW. The enclosing element has been completely levelled along the site's NE sector, where the original entrance may have been located. For much of the remainder of its circuit, the upper portion of the stone wall has been rebuilt. The lower, original section of the wall consists of a rubble core, faced internally and externally with large boulder-like slabs. The wall averages 1.2m high externally, .5m high internally and 2.1m wide. An overgrown semicircular stony band occurs in the N half of the site’s interior, and may represent the remains of a hut (KE091-080003-). 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. 591. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 29 July 2013

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