Clochan in Gleann Fán

Caher Murphy/Cathair Mhurfaí: This oval cashel (National Monument no. 156/1-5) is situated on the S slopes of Mount Eagle overlooking Dingle Bay. Much of its interior is occupied by a group of 5 roughly circular, conjoined clochauns, and a 6th irregularly-shaped structure. A souterrain passage extends from one of these huts to a chamber beneath the cashel wall. The site has been considerably restored by the OPW, and, during restoration work in the 19th century, an elaborate cross-slab was discovered; this is now housed in the NMI. A fragment of the upper stone of a rotary quern was also found lying loose within the cashel. (3) The W end of the courtyard, between clochaun (1) and the cashel wall, has been walled off to form an irregularly-shaped, unroofed structure measuring a maximum of 5.2m x 4.6m. The paved entrance is 1.07m long x .45m wide and opens onto the courtyard directly S of the entrance to clochaun (1). The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 568. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 7 August 2013