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Cahersiveen/ Cathair Saidhbín: This largely levelled site is located on a slight eminence on the S bank of the Valencia river, within the modern limits of Cahersiveen town. It is depicted as a circular enclosure, marked 'Caves', on the first edition of the OS map. Local tradition holds that the site was a caher, and that the stone from its enclosing rampart was used in the construction of the nearby RIC barracks and railway bridge.
The enclosure survives as a subcircular area, 21m N-S x 28m E-W, defined by a poorly preserved, low, stony, bank at N and E. This averages .8m high externally, .5m high internally and 4.5m wide. A less distinct bank indicates the outline of the site at S, where it is skirted by a modern roadway. There are reputed to be two souterrains in the site (King 1931, 44), one (KE079-046002-) of which extends outside it to SE.
The name of Cahersiveen town derives from this site, though the origins of the Sadbh element is unclear (Westropp 1912, 289).
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. 641. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload: 29 July 2013
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