Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Kerries West

'This generally oval enclosure (KE028-090----) is located on a limestone reef with extensive views of Tralee Bay to the south, south-west and west, the Stacks Mountains to the NNE and the full length of the Sliabh Mis to the south, south-east and south-west. The full length of Knockanush Hill and ridge can be seen to the north - north-west. The site affords a particularlystunning view of the two cairns on the saddle below the summit of Knockawaddra Mountain to the south-east. Indeed from here the cairns mark the location of Scotia's Glen, below them, which is hidden by the bulk of Knockmichael. The outer bank is completely composed of stone with no evidence for a ditch externally or internally. It is extant all round the site except for a gap to the south-west, where the original entrance may have been located, though the gap is now much larger being 7m in length. The bank is best preserved internally to the north-east where it is 1.2m high both internally and externally. The bank is lower in height as it runs round the southern side of the site but retains its height on the northern side. At the north it is 1.7m in height externally, due to the natural slope/scarp of the reef. The bank is up to 7.5m in width at base on the north-eastern side. The material for the bank would appear to have bee taken from what is now the interior of the enclosure, which has given the interior of the site the profile of a shallow bowl. The interior of the site contains a number of low bumps and undulations, as well as three obviously modern, small clearance cairns. Centrally placed there is a large mound of stone, which seems to represent the remains of a stone hut or house. A probable original wall width can be seen for a short stretch on the north-west of the rubble and would suggest a house with a wall of 1.3m in width. This wall section remains only to a height 0.4m externally and slightly less internally. A possible external wall face is also visible on the SSW side. The overall dimensions of the rubble mound are 13.8m N-S and 10.3m E-W. The intact section of wall and the shape of the rubble would suggest a sub-circular or oval structure with internal dimensions of approximately 10.8m N-S and 7.5m E-W. At the south-west a linear stone bank 4.5m long runs from the hut towards the gap suggested as the site of the original entrance. It is 0.35m in height and 1.3m wide. The internal dimensions of the site are 39m NE-SW and 30m NW-SE, while the overall dimensions are 55m NE-SW and 45m NW-SE.' Description from ‘The Prehistoric Settlement of the Lee Valley, Tralee, Co. Kerry; A Landscape Perspective’ by Michael Connolly. PhD Thesis UCC 2008 Date of upload: 05 July 2012