Enclosure in Caherkeen

In rough hill pasture, on a break on the S bank of a river, on a steep E-facing slope overlooking Coulagh Bay. A circular area (8.5m E-W; 8m N-S) is defined by the remains of a stone wall (Wth 1.2m; H 0.45m) protruding from traces of an intermittent low earthen bank (H 0.1m). Upright contiguous slabs form the exterior of the wall along the SW-NW arc and there are traces of horizontally laid stones along the internal face. No wall survives NW-NE, where the river has eroded part of the N quadrant of the site. From NE-SW an earthen scarp (max. H 1.1m) displays stones laid horizontally along its external face. This compensates for the slope and gives an almost level interior. Stone slabs, which probably came from the enclosing element, are scattered on the down-slope to the E. Some large stones are scattered haphazardly in the interior and there is a hut site (CO114-067003-) in the W half. A souterrain (CO114-067002-) is exposed in the eroded bank at N and extends to the S. The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). Date of upload: 22 December 2009