What is recorded here
Fairy forts are human places misnamed, often by people who stopped asking questions and started inventing stories. In Ballynabinnia the ring is not much bigger than a house garden, yet it has survived on a sunny slope because people kept shaping it: stone spread in some parts, hedge in others, drystone wall elsewhere. That is not the footprint of a forgotten fairy dance. It is the mark of neighbours, tenants or farmers repeating the same judgement across centuries: this boundary must remain visible. The fairy name may be false, but the human answer is true. The ring continued to be lived with.
Situated on a rise towards the bottom of a S-facing slope. Listed as 'Enclosure' in the SMR (1992) and the RMP (1996). A subcircular grass and scrub-covered area (int. dims. 28m E-W; 25m N-S) defined by the remnants of an overgrown stone spread (Wth 2-3m; H 0.1-1m) and hedge N-SE, and S-W, which is replaced by a drystone wall (H 1m) elsewhere.
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of upload: 18 May 2016
The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.
- What survives
- Recorded monument
Places near here
Saint Joseph's Catholic Churchchurch/chapel · 1024 yd
Font (present location) in BallynabinniaFont (present location) · 1033 yd
Shallee Castle (in Ruins)Castle, tower house · 1523 yd
Magowna CastleCastle · 1745 yd
Kilcross Church (in Ruins)Church · 1.2 mi
Poul na gollorCave · 3.0 mi
Ardcarney WoodWood · 3.6 mi
Ballygriffy WoodWood · 3.6 mi