What is recorded here

Fairy forts are human places misnamed, often by people who stopped asking questions and started repeating magic. In Ballinluska the ring is not hidden or complete: a broad earthen bank, a shallow outer ditch, a slight central rise, and an open pasture beside Myrtleville Bay. The interesting part is the claim that a made passage goes beneath it. If true, the fort is not a childish fairy circle but a threshold built into the hill, perhaps for storage, retreat, ritual or memory. The fairies are the excuse people give when they refuse to imagine the humans who digged beneath what they could see.

In pasture, on S-facing slope, commanding view to SE over Myrtleville Bay. Slightly raised, circular area (38m E-W; 36m N-S) enclosed by earthen bank (H 1.3m) S->NNW; low rise elsewhere; external fosse (max. D 0.55m). Drain cut into fosse on SW side, continues E along field fence. O Murchadha (1967, 12) mentions Man-made underground passage (CO099-085---) here. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

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