Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Doire Mhór Thoir

Internal diam. 32m. A circular bivallate rath situated on level ground about 300m S of Tralee Bay. The entire monument is densely wooded and overgrown with briars and gorse, but an extensive souterrain and traces of hut-sites are visible in the interior. The condition of the double banks and fosses varies considerably. The outer fosse is present along the S quadrant only. It is .8m deep and c. 1.4m wide at base. The broad, flat topped outer bank is the more substantial of the 2, but only its S half is well preserved. It rises a maximum of 1.1m above the base of the outer fosse, 2.2m above the inner fosse and varies from 6.3 to 7m in width at base. The inner fosse averages c. 2m in width at base. The inner bank rises 1.7 to 2m above the fosse, varies from 4 to 5m in width at base, and is a maximum of 1m high internally. Intermittent stretches of drystone facing are preserved along its inner face, to a maximum height of .4m. A number of stones are exposed on the outer face at ESE but they do not appear to be regularly set and their function is uncertain. The entrance faces ENE. In the inner bank it consists of a 1.5m wide gap which is lined to SE by a single course of drystone masonry. A low, ill-defined causeway crosses the inner fosse at this point. The outer bank in this ENE area is reduced to a height of .15 to .2m externally, .6m internally and is c. 9m wide. It is very confused and overgrown and a number of ambiguous features are present. For a length of 15m, its inner edge is surmounted by a 2nd earthen bank, .7m high and c. 1.8m wide at base. A 2m wide gap through this latter bank corresponds with that through the inner bank. To SE of the gap, the upper bank is faced externally with rough drystone masonry. To NW of the gap, a line of 6 or 7 low uprights, up to .4m high, run along the crest of the bank. These latter form the S side of a roughly rectangular feature, defined to W by 3 stones set on edge and to N by a line of boulders which face the outer edge of the main bank for a length of 4.4m. The area enclosed by these lines of stones measures 6m x 5.4m. Hut-sites: The hut-sites in the interior are represented by several spreads of stone and arcs of stony banks but it was not possible to determine their number, lay-out or dimensions. Souterrain: The exact lay-out and extent of the souterrain is also unclear but 2 separate sections are traceable. It is of drystone construction throughout and each chamber and passage is roofed by a series of flat slabs. The main section is roughly T-shaped in plan and consists of a small, rectangular chamber contained within the thickness of the inner bank at S, and 2 rectangular chambers extending S from this towards the centre of the enclosure. The chambers are linked by narrow creepways. (1) The northernmost chamber is 1.2m wide and at least 6m long N-S; its N end is completely blocked by collapse. A low, lintelled creepway leads from the base of the S wall to the N wall of chamber 2. It measures .55m in width, .38m in height and .55m in length. It is now partly blocked by loose stones and chamber 1 was not entered on this occasion. (2) This chamber is 1.2m wide and 4.2m long. The drystone-built side-walls are slightly corbelled and, at roof level, the chamber width is reduced to .85m. At present, access is provided by an opening in the roof where a roof slab has collapsed. Originally, however, it was entered from chamber 1 and the main entrance must lie further to S where the souterrain is no longer traceable. The S wall is provided with an alcove or recess which is .45m wide, 1m long and 1m high. Its single roofing-slab is set .2m above the level of those roofing the chamber and the floor of the alcove slopes gradually upwards towards the rear. A narrow creepway slopes upwards from the rear of the alcove to chamber 3 which is set at a higher level than chamber 2. The difference in height between the roof levels of the 2 chambers is 1m. The creepway is 1.2m long and c. 0.7m wide, but its original height is not known as earth fill has intruded from the chamber above. Its roofing slabs are stepped upwards from N to S and the final lintel lies c. 0.15m below the roof of chamber 3. (3) The creepway opens onto the N wall of this chamber, about .45m from its W end. The opening is .35m wide and .35m high. The chamber is 2.8m long E-W, .67m wide and c. 0.5m high. The E and W walls are partly obscured by collapse and the roof slabs above these have been removed. Another separate section of the souterrain is traceable in the W sector of the rath. It consists of a passage, at least 7m long, which runs E from the inner edge of the ringfort bank at W. This is not accessible but can be viewed where a couple of its roof slabs have collapsed or been removed. It measures .5m wide at the level of the roof and is a maximum of .75m high. Its E end is completely blocked and it is not known if or how it was linked to the remainder of the souterrain. A little beyond its W end, erosion of the bank has exposed 2 to 3 courses of drystone masonry which extend c. 2m in a NE-SW direction. This may be part of a further passage or chamber contained within the thickness of the bank. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 386. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 6 August 2013