Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Cool

Internal diam. 23m One of a group of 4 raths situated in close proximity to one another on the E side of Corrin Hill. It lies c. 75m from KE036-077---- and c. 50m from KE036-075----. The circular interior, containing 3 conjoined huts, is enclosed by a single earthen bank which measures up to .8m high internally and 1.1m high externally and which is 2m wide at base. The bank has been levelled for a short stretch at SE and the enclosure is here defined by a scarp which falls 1.8m to the external ground level. Along the NE half of the perimeter the bank has been replaced by a stone-faced earthen field fence which follows the line of the original enclosure. In the NNW and N sectors this overlies the remains of the ringfort bank which survives to a height of .5m here. The bank in the SW sector retains a very short length of drystone facing, 4 courses high, and a few isolated facing stones are visible to N of this. Two breaks in the bank at NW are probably cattle tracks. A 3rd gap at S only breaks through the upper portion of the bank. Two breaks at W and SW, measuring 1.8m and .7m in width respectively, are more clearly defined and either may represent the original entrance. The remains of the 3 conjoined huts extend roughly N-S across the interior of the ringfort: (1) (KE036-076001-) The central hut is 4.75m in diameter internally and is enclosed by a circular bank of earth and stone averaging 1m in height internally and up to .6m externally. A 1m long section of the inner wall face is preserved to a height of .6m but the remainder is not visible. The entrance lies to NE but is not clearly defined. (2) (KE036-076002-) The northernmost hut measures c. 3.5m in diameter internally and the enclosing bank of grass-grown stones is up to .75m high internally but no more than .1m high externally. The ill-defined entrance gap lies to ENE. (3) (KE036-076003-) The 3rd hut, c. 4.5m in diameter internally, abuts the SE side of the central hut. The enclosing bank is a maximum of .7m high internally and .6m high externally, and there is an entrance gap at N. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 367. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 6 August 2013