Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in An Ghairfeanaigh

Internal diam. 21.8m N-S, 22.5m E-W A univallate rath situated on the E slopes of Sugarloaf hill, overlooking the steep glen through which the Garfinny river flows at this point. To E the land falls steeply to the river, but the rath is constructed on a relatively level shoulder which may be partly man-made. There are traces of 1 definite and 2 possible hut-sites in the interior. The fosse is best preserved along the SW sector where its outer edge is surmounted by a field fence. Here it is .9m deep and 3.3m wide at base. The earthen enclosing bank is a maximum of 1.75m high externally and 1.35m internally. The inner face along the S and SE sectors is revetted with drystone masonry, and some large stones visible in the outer face of the bank suggest a similar feature there. The entrance gap at SE is now blocked and very disturbed. On the OS maps 2 clochauns (KE043-179001- & KE043-179002-) were marked in the interior. These abutted the inner face of the ringfort bank at NE and SSW. A slight kink in the bank and revetment walling at S may mark the site of the latter. The former is more clearly defined. It was c. 3.5m in diameter internally but only its NW half can now be traced. The wall is of corbelled, drystone construction and stands to a maximum height of .75m. An irregular stony mound a little SW of centre probably marks the site of another hut (KE043-179003-). The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 428. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 7 August 2013