Enclosure, Crinagort, Co. Kerry

Co. Kerry |

Enclosures

Enclosure, Crinagort, Co. Kerry

At Crinagort in south-west Kerry, a low circular wall pushes up through the surface of a bog as though the land is slowly exhaling something it had swallowed long ago.

The structure is modest in its dimensions, roughly 13 metres across east to west and 12 metres north to south, but what makes it quietly arresting is how it has survived: not through any roof or shelter, but simply by being raised above the encroaching peat, its grass-covered drystone wall still legible after what may be many centuries.

The enclosure sits on a col, the low saddle of ground between two higher points, and forms part of a wider field system in the area. Drystone construction, which uses no mortar and relies entirely on the careful placement of stones to achieve stability, was common across early Irish settlement landscapes, and the wall here retains enough height, up to 0.8 metres on its exterior face, to suggest its original form reasonably well. A southeast-facing entrance, just over a metre and a half wide, is defined on its western side by a single upright stone slab, a detail that gives the gap a deliberate, constructed character rather than the look of later collapse or disturbance. Immediately to the east, a hut site abuts the enclosure wall, suggesting this was once part of a small cluster of activity rather than an isolated feature.

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, Crinagort, 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