Enclosure in Baile Na Habha (tc Cill Chuáin)

Fohernamanagh/Fothair na Manach: The ecclesiastical nature of this settlement (KE025-001001-) is only indirectly suggested by its name and by its traditional association with St. Brendan. He is said both to have founded a monastery here (O'Donoghue 1895, 327-8) and to have sojourned here for a while before embarking on his legendary sea voyage (An Seabhac 1939, 132). Its remote location (it is undoubtedly the most inaccessible settlement on mainland Corca Dhuibhne) also suggests a monastic settlement. Enclosure: The D-shaped enclosure, 22m SW-NE x 27m NW-SE internally, is surrounded by a drystone-built wall with evidence of at least 2 phases of construction. It averages .8m in height and there is no clear evidence for rebuilding of its inner face. A 5m long section at S stands up to 2.4m high and at the same point the wall is .9 to .95m wide. Immediately to E and W of this section the wall narrows for a short distance to a width of .4m and it is obvious that the outer face has been rebuilt inside its former line. A single course of the original outer face lies outside this, on line with the wider section of walling. Beyond this the 2 faces merge and can no longer be differentiated. The N section of the wall also exhibits 2 building phases. The original wall is reduced to a low mound of stone collapse lying up to 1.5m outside the present wall, which butts up against the W quoin of one of the internal structures. The NE side of the enclosure is defined by the straight drystone revetment to the terrace above. This is up to 1.95m high and the middle section is stepped. At about its mid-point, a slightly disturbed ramp gives access to the terrace from the enclosure below. The collapsed remains of a dividing wall cross the interior of the enclosure SW-NE and an upright slab near its NE end may formerly have defined an entrance. The spread of stone collapse to SE of this may mark the location of a hut site. A band of stone collapse defines a rectangular structure which abuts the enclosure wall at SSW; it measures 3.5 x 1.2m internally. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 826. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 8 August 2013