Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Ballyhogan (knigh Par.)

Situated on the edge of a natural rise or in a small marshy valley immediately to the S. NMI Correspondence files (1A/195/54) refer to a natural rise of ground (diam. 20m) which when being bulldozed revealed many bones and teeth. No trace of a bank or fosse were visible. The site is locally known as 'Kilwarig' and there is a tradition of it being a killeen but the bones seemed to be of adults. There are no remains of this rise and the field fence which skirted the SE side of the site has been removed. The National Museum recorded that 'in June 1954 human remains were discovered during land reclamation works at Ballyhogan, near Puckaun, Co. Tipperary. The works were being carried out under the auspices of the Land Rehabilitation Project, and according to the report received by the NMI the site was a fort that was being bulldozed. An investigation was carried out by Breandán 0 Ríordáin. The site was found to consist of a naturally raised area, approximately 20m in diameter. It was during the levelling of this natural feature that the remains were found. Human remains representing a number of individuals and frequent small stones were scattered over the surface of the site but there was no evidence for grave structures. The only associated artefact found was a large, square-headed iron nail, which apparently adhered to a fragment of human bone. According to local information, the site was known as Kilwarig and there was a tradition of the burial of unbaptised children (TN014-047001-) there. A number of adult remains were also noted here, however. During this investigation, the remains of a possible fulacht fiadh (TN014-048---) were also noted in the same field' (Cahill and Sikora 2011, vol. 2, 514-5). The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 10 August 2012

A fairy fort or earthen ringfort in Ballyhogan, likely dating to the early medieval period, is associated with local folklore surrounding fairies and supernatural activity. The site, partially destroyed by bulldozing, revealed many bones, suggesting possible ritual or burial activity.