What is recorded here
Fairy fort in Ballycormick is a circular earthwork about forty-three metres across, set on a west-facing slope above a river valley in County Limerick. Its bank and scarp are partly worn by fields, but the shape still reads clearly in the pasture, as if people once drew a line around their own world and the land agreed to keep it. The name suggests the locals stopped calling it human, which is often what happens when a place becomes old enough to withdraw its explanation.
In pasture, on break in W-facing slope, overlooking river valley. Circular area (42.7m N-S; 42.3m E-W) enclosed by earthen bank (int. H 0.25m; ext. H 0.65m) ENE->SW, and defined by scarped edge (H 1.6m; Wth 6.85m) SW->NNE, with external fosse (Wth 1.4m; D 0.6m) ENE->W. Enclosing element truncated by field boundary NNE->ENE. Bank is best preserved at SSW, whilst scarp becomes sheer-sided NW->NNE. Interior, under pasture, slopes down gently to W.
Compiled by: Denis Power
Date of upload: 26 August 2011
A fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Ballycormick is a circular early-medieval defensive or domestic site, likely dating to between the 5th and 10th centuries AD. Local tradition associates such sites with fairy folk, and they were often avoided due to beliefs in their supernatural inhabitants.
The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.
- What survives
- Recorded monument
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