Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in An Gabhlán Beag

Internal diam. 26m A roughly circular univallate rath situated on an ESE facing slope overlooking the Owenalondrig river. The remains of 3 hut sites are visible in the interior and a Man-made underground passage (KE044-077004-), mentioned briefly by Curran (No.3), may have been located within this site. The earthen enclosing bank is a maximum of 1.25m high externally and 1m high internally and is 3 to 3.5m wide at base. The inner face along the SW sector is revetted with large stones. The stone-facing along the N sector may be related to the use of the bank as a field boundary. The bank has been levelled along the SE sector and the enclosure is here defined by a 1.5m high drop from the interior to the external ground level. The gap at SW is a secondary feature. The original entrance faces SSE and is defined on its W side by 2 slabs. (1) (KE044-077001-),A roughly circular hut located in the SW sector. It is c. 4m in diameter and the wall is reduced to low grass-grown foundations. The entrance is defined by 2 upright slabs. (2) (KE044-077002-),A possible hut-site to N of (KE044-077001- is marked by a depression which measures 4m N-S x 5m E-W. The NE sector is defined by a bank of stones, .6m high and .9m wide. (3) (KE044-077003-),A shallow circular depression, located to E of (KE044-077001-), may mark the site of a 3rd hut, c. 5m in diameter. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 450. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 7 August 2013