Old Light Ho. — An Rinnín

Situated on top of a short undulating E-W running ridge c. 2.15kms ESE\E of the tip of Hog’s Head (OD c. 119m). The terrain slopes sharply down to the W before rising again reaching a high point (OD c. 87m) after c. 475m, and rises sharply to the E before reaching a high point (OD c. 291m) after c. 612m. The landscape surrounding the site of the signal station\barracks also slopes sharply down to the coastline at Ballinskellings Bay, located c. 322m to the NNW, where there are abrupt sea cliffs, and slopes sharply down to the coastline at Coosilenanoon, located c. 240m to the SW, where there are also steep sea cliffs overlooking Kenmare Bay. The site has unobstructed views to the N, S and W with more limited views to the E on account of the rising topography. The surrounding area is characterised by rough unenclosed rocky ground\rough pastureland in the immediate environs of the signal station\barracks with limited areas of enclosed pastureland (possibly historic), defined by linear and irregular rubble stone boundary walls, to the S (after c. 100m) and to the W (after c. 420m). The site is located c. 10.1kms to the E\ESE of the signal station at Bolus Point (KE096-024----), where the tower survives as a low ruin, and c. 9.42kms E\ESE of the ‘enclosed barracks’ site at Bolus Head (KE104-001----; survives as a ruin), which is contemporaneous and comparable in form to this signal station\barracks site at Bolus Head, and c. 20.5kms to the N of the signal station\tower on Dursey Island, Cork (CO126-005----), where the signal station\tower survives in a good condition close to its original full height. This former signal station\barracks at Hog’s Head is located c. 1.9kms W\WSW of a children’s burial ground (KE106-014----), located at Bailín, and c. 2.3kms W\WSW of a cashel, ‘Loher Fort’ (KE106-015----) at An Lóthar, where there are the remains of a number of early Medieval structures. The remains of an early nineteenth-century (c. 1810) three-bay two-storey or single-storey over raised basement rectangular-plan (ext. dims c. 10.5m NW-SE x c. 4.3m NE-SW) former enclosed barracks\signal station associated with the signal station\tower network. Possibly\probably originally with a signal mast to site. Constructed of random rubble sandstone (wall Wth c. 0.75m) with some flush roughly-dressed sandstone quoins to the corners. Surviving sections of lime render in places to exterior faces. Gable-ended (NW and SE) with tall rubble stone chimneystacks rising over gable ends (to apex to NE end). Mono-pitched roof (collapsed) with roof originally sloping from rear elevation (NE; wall H c. 9m) to front elevation (SW; wall H c. 7m). Square-headed doorway to the centre of the front elevation (SW) at first floor level. Doorway original reached up flight of freestanding rubble stone ramp\steps (L SW-NE c. 5.4m) with a gap (L c. 2.2m SW-NE) that formerly gave access to doorway via a timber gangway\drawbridge, now gone; rubble stone parapet walls to either side of entrance steps. Square-headed window openings with stone voussoirs flank central doorway at first floor level to SW elevation with corresponding square-headed window openings below at ground floor level (to NW and SE ends of entrance elevation to SW). Square-headed window opening to the SE end of the rear elevation (NE) at first floor level. Single-bay one-and-a-half storey rubble stone annexes are attached to either gable end of main structure (NW and SE) formerly with mono-pitched roofs (now collapsed) that sloped downwards from gable walls of main structure; annexes now partially collapsed, particularly the SE annex. Square-headed doorway to the front (SW) elevations of each annex at ground floor level. Internally, each floor of the main body of the building is divided into three rooms. All four side rooms (two to ground floor and two to first floor to NW and SE ends) feature square-headed fireplaces (to corners\corner fireplaces) and square-headed alcoves that retain evidence of shelving incised into the render. There are two fireplaces at ground floor level to either gable end (NW and SE) of main body of building with one fireplace over to each gable end at first floor level. The central rooms to each floor both feature plain square-headed alcoves but no fireplaces. Access into the main building from the additions\annexes was through square-headed doors to the side walls, at ground floor level to the SE addition\annex, and at first floor level on the NW addition\annex. The annexes also feature corner fireplaces. Remnants of smooth render to interior. Rear elevation of main body of building forms part of the NE side of a rectangular-plan enclosure (ext. dims c. 26.5m NE-SW x c. 23m NW-SE) defined by well-built rubble stone boundary walls (wall T c. 0.6m; max H c. 1.8m). Boundary wall to the SE side of enclosure now partially collapsed. Square-plan bastions project outwards from the boundary walls to each corner of the enclosure (N, S, E, and W) each with two splayed gun vertical gun loops to provide enfilading fire along each wall; bastions now largely collapsed. The site is shown on the Ordnance Survey first ed. six-inch map, surveyed 1841-2, in its current form with an almost square enclosure with the bastions to each of the four corners. The building is shown against the NE wall of the enclosure and has a T-shaped plan, indicating that the external steps were drawn as being part of a singular structure. It is marked as ‘Old Light Ho.’ The site is one of four Enclosed Barracks of extremely similar form that were constructed around the coast of County Kerry (Kerrigan 1995, 162-3). Although some uncertainty remains about the age of the sites, all four of the enclosed barracks were likely constructed between 1808 and 1812. The sites seem to have been specifically related to the system of signal stations\towers constructed around the Irish coast between 1804 and 1806, added in areas where intervisibility between signal towers had proved difficult. It is not clear if these larger and more complex additions to the system were designed to house larger signal crews, or if they were designed to house the same size signal crews in more comfort than was to be found at the unpopular signal towers. The Enclosed Barracks were presumably abandoned by 1815, when the signal towers around the SW coast were decommissioned. Compiled by: Stuart Rathbone Updated on: 12/10/22 Images: KE105-004----.01 View of SW elevation of main body of building. KE105-004----.02 Oblique view from the S KE105-004----.03 View of external steps serving entrance from the NW KE105-004----.04 View of annex to the SE from the SE KE105-004----.05 View of rear elevation (NE) KE105-004----.06 View from the NW KE105-004----.07 Detail of alcove to interior KE105-004----.08 Detail of corner fireplace at ground floor level to interior. KE105-004----.09 Context from the NW 1 KE105-004----.10 Context from the NW 2