What is recorded here

Ballydaly is one of the smallest towns in Ireland yet it has one of the largest populations of fairy forts. A small opening in the churchyard of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church reveals a stone-built wall half a metre high, while local memory claims a two-to-two-and-a-half-foot passage appeared twenty-five metres south during roadworks. The distinction between a hidden passage and an ordinary drain does not much matter when the ground keeps giving back shapes that human hands made and time forgot.

In churchyard of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Small opening revealed section of stone-built wall (H 0.5m). According to local information "passage two to two and a half feet high" was exposed some years ago during roadworks c. 25m S of present opening. Strong local tradition of Man-made underground passage but exposed feature may be stone-lined drain. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 3: Mid Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

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