Fairy fort / stone ringfort in Coill Bhaile Uí Fhlaithimh

Internal diam. 26.7m N-S, 22.4m E-W Caherbaun/An Chathair Bhán: Situated on the lower NW slopes of Cummeen mountain overlooking the valley of the Owencashla river. The cashel wall, originally c. 2m thick, is now reduced for the most part to a band of collapsed debris up to lm high and 3m wide, though low footings are visible externally for much of the circumference. It is best preserved to NE and E where one 2m long stretch stands to a height of 1.35m externally and .6m internally. At NNW a crescent-shaped stony mound, measuring 9m x 3m, abuts the outer face; its function is unclear. No definite entrance is preserved. The ruined remains of 4 or 5 house-sites are visible in the interior. (1) A little W of centre is a rectangular, drystone-built house measuring 5.11m NNE-SSW x 3.3m NNW-SSE. Where best preserved the walls stand to a height of 1.1m externally and rise .48m above the rubble which fills the interior; the outer face slopes slightly inwards. The entrance lies in the S wall which is 1.64m thick at this point. A passageway, 5.5m long x 1.47m wide, leads away WSW from the entrance. This is defined by large, laterally set stones, visible to a height of .2m. (2) A rectangular hollow defined to W by the cashel wall, to S by the NW wall of house (1) and to E by a continuation of the E wall of the latter which extends to meet the cashel wall at N. Some footing stones are visible in the sides of the hollow near its W end and the hut probably measured c. 6m N-S and c. 3.5m E-W. (3) A rectangular, drystone-built house, similar to the 1st, lies in the S sector of the cashel. It measures 8.2m E-W x 3.95m N-S internally and the wall is c. 1m thick. The walls have largely collapsed, but where best preserved stand to a height of .75m internally and .3m externally. The entrance, .85m wide, is in the N wall. There may have been an internal dividing wall, but this was obscured when the floor in the W part of the house was dug out to reveal a cellar or souterrain. This latter consists of a drystone-walled passage extending N-S for a visible distance of 1.4m; probing with a ranging rod showed that it continues S for a further lm before being blocked. It is .7m wide and .3m deep but deepens rapidly at its S end. (4) A 4th house-site or annex at the E end of house (3). It measures c. 3.4m E-W x c. 3m N-S internally and is largely collapsed. There appears to be an entrance, .75m wide, at the W end of the S wall. (5) A hollow, 3.9m N-S x 3.15m E-W, with a stony rim. This lies between house (4) and the cashel wall to S and may mark a hut-site. None of the house or hut-sites are mentioned in the description contained in the OSNB (Killiney, 42). The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 577. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 7 August 2013