Field system 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. However, despite its isolation and the difficulty of access, the valley is reputed to have been occupied at the beginning of the 19th century by 3 or 4 families (Power 1923, 75-6), and it is not clear to what extent the present form of the settlement is attributable to this recent occupation. A now disused field system (KE025-001015-) enclosed most of the good land in the valley. Five field walls radiate out from the enclosure to form 5 fields, the E or upslope fields being rough and scree-strewn, the downslope ones providing fair grazing. Below and to W of these are 3 small rectangular fields, the 2 northernmost preserving traces of cultivation ridges. Apart from a semi-circular field which abuts the SE side of the ravine to N of the main settlement, the remainder of the fields are defined by the walls which skirt the edges of the ravines and sea cliffs and by a few cross-walls running between the ravines. 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