What is recorded here

Fairy forts are no fairy tale. They are human ringforts, often farmed flat after records began. Coolcoulaghta is one: a south-facing hillside in County Cork where a substantial outer bank, inner bank and ditch once formed a complete enclosure. Ploughing around 1979 removed most of it. What remains is a short surviving stretch of that circle, still readable in the land.

In pasture, on S-facing slope. Levelled c. 1979; short stretch circumference remains WSW->NW continuing line of field fences abutting to either side. Lower inner bank (H 0.3m) separated from substantial earthen outer bank (H 2.3m) by fosse (D c. 2m). External fosse (D 0.9m) to NW. To S and E, slight scarps indicate position of remaining enclosure. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 1: West Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1992). 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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