What is recorded here

Caherdesert was a 30m circular stone fort on a Cork knoll, stripped of its rampart by 1976 and levelled entirely by 1981. It hid man-made underground passages and a standing stone seventy metres southeast, yet farmers carted the visible rocks away for practical use. The earth forgot the shape within a lifetime, leaving only a scattered patch of stone in pasture where the fort stood.

In pasture, atop knoll. Shown on 1842 OS 6-inch map as circular enclosure (diam. c. 30m). Power (1917, 170) records a '"cathair" with Man-made underground passages', stating that 'all stones have been carted away leaving only the earthen core of the rampart'. McCarthy (1977, 338) notes that in 1976 'the stone rampart of the caher was practically erased'. According to local information, site finally levelled c. 1981; area distinguishable by copious amounts of stone. Man-made underground passage (CO054-02002-) in interior. Levelled circular enclosure (CO054-02101-), Man-made underground passage (CO054-02102-) and standing stone (CO054-02103-) c. 70m to SE. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). 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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