What is recorded here

Mortons and others have measured the fort, but nobody has opened the door. The chamber is thirty-four metres across, enclosed by a three-metre earthen bank and a narrow entrance facing east-southeast. Cultivation ridges still cross its floor, marking repeated human use. The fairies may have taken the chamber from mortal sight, yet the ridges and bank remain for anyone who walks to Ratooragh.

In pasture, on crest of hillock. Circular area (34m N-S; 34m E-W) enclosed by earthen bank (H 3.1m), stone faced internally; external fosse (D 1.8m). Entrance to ESE (Wth 4m). Cultivation ridges cross interior on E-W axis. 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

A fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Ratooragh is a circular early-medieval defensive or agricultural enclosure, likely dating to between the 5th and 10th centuries AD. Local folklore, common to many such sites in Ireland, associates it with the faé or other supernatural beings, though specific traditions for this site are not recorded.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.