Fairy fort / earthen ringfort in Cooryvanaheen

Not marked on the OS maps, this site is known locally as a ringfort. It was levelled in the earlier part of this century (local information). It was situated on a level terrace in land that slopes down to the Cummeragh river at E. It may be the site called 'Barna Fort', described as an earthen fort in the OSNB (Drummod, 10). A number of recently collapsed roofing lintels reveal the presence of a souterrain (KE089-050001-) at this location. A drystone-built passage, aligned ENE-WSW, runs for a distance of 3m. Its interior is largely filled with collapse, and it averages 1m deep and 1m wide. Collapse almost obscures a low lintelled creepway in the end-wall at ENE, which measures .27m high by .54m wide. This leads into a second passage, which runs NNW for a further 3m, as indicated by a number of exposed roofing lintels. A third passage appears to extend from its WSW end, but collapse prevents positive identification. 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. 662. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 29 July 2013