What is recorded here

Magic and myth belong elsewhere. What remains is a circle of earth and stone, built by human hands on the south bank of the Ferta river. Inside the broken ring are the shadows of small dwellings, and beyond the bank the valley stretches into distance. The fort is not a fantasy, though fantasy has always been tempted by it.

Internal diam. 23.5m N-S, 22m E-W This subcircular univallate rath is located on the S side of the Ferta river in land that slopes down gently to N. Situated on a level platform, it affords lengthy views of the river valley to E and SW. From SE to SW the enclosing bank has been virtually levelled, but at N it reaches a maximum external height of 1.35m. It has a basal width of .9m and falls .9m on average to the interior of the site. The construction of the bank has been revealed in places by erosion as a basal course of large boulders overlain by earth and gravel. An entrance gap at E measures 3.8m wide. The sod-covered remains of a hut (KE070-051001-) interrupt the enclosing element at S, causing a bulge in its outline. This oval-shaped stone structure has internal dimensions of 4.4m N-S x 2.9m E-W, and survives to a maximum internal height of .4m. A second possible hut (KE070-051003-) is indicated by a curved section of walling which abuts the inner face of the bank at W. Ua Riain noted a possible Man-made underground passage (KE070-051002-) at this site (1927), but no surface indications of it remain. The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 552. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 29 July 2013

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