What is recorded here

Lissanearla is a broad earthen ring on rising Kerry land, holding a rectangular house shadow inside its bank. Tradition claims the Earl of Desmond fled there during the Desmond Wars of the 1580s, perhaps watching his own defeat come through the southeast gap. The fort still stands as a wide circular trap for memory, large enough for horses, men and fear.

Internal diameter 40m N-S, 41.4m E-W Lissanearla/Lios an Iarla (ringfort of the earl). This univallate rath is situated on rising land and has a commanding view of the surrounding countryside. It consists of a circular area enclosed by a well defined bank and exterior fosse. The enclosing earthen bank is on average 8m wide at the base. It rises to a maximum of 3m above the interior and 1.6m above the fosse. The U-shaped external fosse encloses the whole site. It is 1.6m wide and on average 1.1m deep. The entrance would appear to lie to the SE and is c 7m wide. The interior is at a higher level than the surrounding land, and in the centre are the clear foundations of a sub-rectangular house-site (KE021-126001-). According to tradition, the Earl of Desmond took refuge here as he sought to avoid defeat in the Desmond Wars of the 1580s. The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 770. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 2 August 2013

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