Enclosure, An Baile Breac, Co. Kerry

Co. Kerry |

Enclosures

Enclosure, An Baile Breac, Co. Kerry

On open mountain ground above a tributary of the Feohanagh river on the Dingle Peninsula, a circular stone hut foundation has quietly doubled as a sheep-fold for long enough that the two uses have become almost indistinguishable from each other.

The structure's original form has been considerably modified over time, its ancient outline reshaped by the practical demands of farming, so that what you encounter today is something layered: archaeology underneath, rural utility on top.

The hut foundation belongs to An Baile Breac, a townland in the Corca Dhuibhne region of west Kerry, an area extraordinarily dense with early remains. Hut foundations of this kind, typically circular stone structures associated with early medieval or prehistoric settlement, are common across the peninsula, though most have not been so thoroughly absorbed into later agricultural use. What makes this one quietly interesting is the entrance at its north-west, which opens into an adjoining sub-rectangular enclosure measuring roughly 4.1 by 4.7 metres internally, a small compartment that suggests the site was adapted with some deliberateness rather than simply patched up. The details were recorded by J. Cuppage in the 1986 Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey, a foundational work for understanding the archaeology of Corca Dhuibhne.

Rated 0 out of 5

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of Pete F
Pete F
IrishHistory.com is passionate about helping people discover and connect with the rich stories of their local communities.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Enclosure, An Baile Breac, Co. Kerry. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 100 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.

Advertisement