Enclosure in Ceathrú An Fheirtéaraigh

Kilgobnet/Cill Ghobnait: This site lies within 300m of the sea-cliffs less than a mile N of Dunquin Harbour. It is comprised of a sub-circular enclosure, located at the E side of a larger enclosure which may simply be a later field. The only features visible within the former are 2 large penitential cairns, but several possible house foundations are discernible at the W side of the large enclosure. About 100m to SW, on the side of an immense outcrop of rock, there is a stone cross, and Tobar Ghobnait (KE052-005----) lies c. 120m to W of this again. Rounds are still performed at each of the monuments on February 11th (St. Gobnait's feast day). The smaller enclosure measures 19.3 x 18m internally. Its enclosing bank survives to a maximum height of 1.1m and is intermittently faced with stone. Access is provided by narrow breaks in the bank at SE and WSW. Much of the S half of the enclosure is occupied by the 2 oval flat-topped cairns of stone which measure 7.6 x 6.3m x 1.65m in height and 7.5 x 5.4m x 1.7m in height. According to Curran, the larger cairn covers 'the ruins of a small building which was probably an oratory' and the smaller cairn conceals a clochaun. However, though it is possible that the cairns overlie earlier structures, much of their make-up is undoubtedly due to the accumulation of small stones deposited by pilgrims and there is now no evidence of structural remains. The larger, sub-rectangular enclosure measures c. 47 x 48m internally. It is defined by stone field walls and may be a late feature. A series of cultivation ridges occupy much of the interior but the foundations of 3 or 4 possible house sites are still traceable, their walls now reduced to low banks of earth and stone. The stone cross measures c. 0.9m in height and 0.42m in width. It is supported by a low cairn of stones which, in turn, is set on a small platform formed partly by drystone masonry and partly by rock outcrop. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 838. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 8 August 2013