Fairy fort / stone ringfort in Caherlehillan

Internal diam. c. 25m N-S, c. 30m E-W This large subcircular caher is prominently located on the S side of a ridge which extends W from Mullaghnarakill mountain. It affords a fine prospect along the Ferta river valley to Valencia Harbour at WSW. Most of the stone facing of its enclosing wall, and of its four internal huts, has been removed over the years for use in the construction of field boundaries and roads. A stone wall traverses the interior of the site, N-S, and walling overlies a portion of the enclosing element at NW. The enclosing wall is best preserved here, where a short stretch of stone facing survives both externally and internally and the wall measures 3.6m wide. In the S sector it survives as a 1m high stony band, up to 10m wide. A gap at W, 2m wide, may represent the location of the original entrance to the caher. Abutting the present inner face of the enclosing wall at N are the remnants of a rectangular hut (KE070-042001-) with internal dimensions of 5.3m x 4m. Its walls survive to an average height of .4m. Abutting it at S is a circular hut (KE070-042002-), averaging 5m in internal diameter, the foundations of which are .2m high and up to 2m wide. Adjacent at NE is a second circular hut (KE070-042003-), 5.4m x 4.5m internally, which is bisected by the modern field boundary that traverses the interior of the caher. Some stone facing, .6m high, is preserved along its inner face. An arc of walling, 1.6m wide, occurs close to the inner face of the enclosing element at S and may indicate the location of a fourth hut (KE070-042004-). The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 565. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 29 July 2013